The A18 Mountain Road could remain shut for the entire weekend due to the wintry conditions.

The Department of Infrastructure (DoI) has announced the road will provisionally remain shut until Monday after closing the road in the early hours of Friday.

Ronaldsway Met Office has issued a further yellow warning – meaning ‘be aware’ – for frost and ice.

That alert is in place from 5pm on Friday until noon on Saturday. It follows a previous yellow warning issued for snow and sleet which was issued on Thursday.

Temperatures are expected to drop below zero around dusk on Friday, leading to a widespread frost with ice forming on any untreated surfaces which may still be damp from earlier rainfall.

Areas of higher ground are at risking of experiencing some showers overnight, although they are predicted to be short lived it may cause further icy patches to form.

Even though Sunday will warm up with lows of 4C, the DoI has taken the decision to keep the Mountain shut for more than three days although it could reopen sooner of it is deemed safe.

Posting on social media, the department said: ‘The Mountain Road is expected to remain closed until Monday, February 16, following the latest Met Office forecast, which indicates further wintery weather over higher ground.

‘We will continue to monitor conditions throughout the weekend and will reopen the route sooner if it is safe to do so.’