UK weather: Travel chaos as Met Office warns of icy roads and fog

Snow will fall in London tomorrow with up to four inches expected in the South East as Britons endured another day of icy chaos and temperatures plunged to nearly -12C (10F) on England’s coldest morning of the winter so far.

The Met Office has issued a snow warning from 3am to 8pm tomorrow covering the capital, with 1in (3cm) set to fall widely over the South East – and up to 4in (10cm) in parts of East Anglia where an amber alert is in place.

Forecasters warned a the band of heavy snow will bring disruption as it moves eastwards, amid fears over rural communities becoming cut off, power cuts, cancellations to trains and delays on roads stranding motorists.  

A band of rain will move eastwards tomorrow and turn to snow as it runs into cold air over the South East. Snow levels will gradually rise for many from the west, with East Anglia, Kent and Sussex expected to be worst hit.

The Met Office added that flooding is also a major risk for many areas this weekend given the recent wet weather and high river levels for many areas. There are also fears that the conditions could affect mobile phone networks.

Covered by the warning are London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Buckinghamshire, Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Surrey, Rutland, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.  

Today, people travelling during the lockdown were told to expect more ‘tricky’ conditions as ice and freezing fog brought further hazards one day after heavy snowfall caused major disruption in northern England and Scotland.

Efforts to press on with the coronavirus vaccine rollout and treatment continued despite the snow, with Leeds University delaying the opening of its asymptomatic test centre and telling those who are later will still be seen. 

Over-80s who were due to receive their vaccine at Newcastle’s Centre for Life were told they could re-book rather than risk making a trip in the icy conditions. Newcastle Hospitals tweeted: ‘There’s enough vaccine for everyone.’

The Met Office had earlier put out an ice warning this morning for all of Scotland and most of England with the mercury plunging to as low as -11.8C (10.8F) in the North Yorkshire village of Ravensworth at 9am today.

Forecasters said the rain, sleet and snow would be dying out, leaving icy surfaces and difficult travel conditions amid concerns of people falling over on slippery pavements and motorists skidding on untreated roads.

People across the country awoke to a widespread frost and temperatures hovering around freezing this morning, with the mercury unlikely to get above 5C (41F) in London today before dropping back to 0C (32F) tonight.

Nearly 200 areas of the country remain on flood watch as well, with the Environment Agency issuing 144 flood alerts and 43 more serious warnings for England – while Natural Resources Wales has put out two alerts.

A separate 18-hour weather warning for snow and ice has been issued for most of Scotland and northern England tomorrow, from midnight until 6pm, with the Met Office warning up to 8in (20cm) could fall on higher routes.

An area of rain pushing eastwards will turn to snow, with forecasters warning of travel delays of roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel and a chance of power cuts.

The rain will turn to snow as it encounters colder air across Scotland and parts of northern and eastern England, and at first the main hazard may be rain falling onto frozen surfaces leading to ice.

Snow will become more likely during the early morning, with heavier snowfall most likely above 650ft (200m) in Scotland and northern England, where 2in (5cm) to 4in (10cm) may accumulate, possibly 8in (20cm) even higher.

Today, Northumbria Police said 17 vehicles were involved in a succession of crashes on a stretch of the Coast Road in North Tyneside. Emergency services were called to four separate incidents within a matter of hours today.

Both carriageways were blocked from Middle Engine Lane to Billy Mill. Inspector Lynne Mckevitt said: “It is sheer luck that nobody was seriously injured, at a time when the NHS and blue-light services are already stretched.”

Met Office chief meteorologist Steven Ramsdale said: ‘A milder air mass will move eastwards across the UK early tomorrow. But when this warmer, more moist air encounters the cold air situated over eastern parts of the UK snow is likely to fall.

‘Whilst the high ground in the north is likely to see the largest accumulations some snow is likely to fall to low levels at times. In fact, parts of east England and East Anglia look most at risk of seeing 1-3 cm with 5-10 cm possible in places.

‘The milder air will eventually win out with the initial snow gradually turning to rain. This may also bring some flooding issues following recent wet weather and with snow then melting – though the snow looks to be the greater hazard.’

The Met Office published Department for Transport advice advising people to clear snow and ice from footpaths outside their homes. ‘You can then cover the path with salt before nightfall to stop it refreezing overnight,’ it said.

Today, freezing fog and sub-zero temperatures saw an icy start which led to a loss of gas supply to about 700 homes in the Hebden Bridge area pf West Yorkshire. Water had got into the local gas network and frozen.

Engineers from Northern Gas Networks trying to restore the supply found a large plug of frozen water in one of the pipes. Cars drove through flooded roads in Leicestershire, while in Essex the River Roding in Essex burst its banks.

Meanwhile Brighter Futures, which supports people with homelessness, mental health and other complex needs, said its severe weather emergency procedure is active due to the cold weather forecast.

It provides homes, hostels and health services in the Midlands and is giving emergency accommodation for everyone it sees, including people who are sleeping rough in Stoke-on-Trent or Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Met Office meteorologist Becky Mitchell said: ‘Saturday is the next day we could potentially see some snow.

‘Into next week it’s quite uncertain but it looks like temperatures will be around average to start with – so not particularly cold.

‘But, towards the end of the week there are signs we could potentially see further snowfall across northern parts of the country.’

It comes after up to 6in (15cm) of snow fell in the North of England yesterday, leading to picture postcard scenes but also crashes, skids and prangs. 

A double decker bus slid across a road in Halifax, West Yorkshire, while a car ended up wrapped around a pole in nearby Outlane.

More than 600 schools had to close and the weather brought havoc to the Covid vaccination drive, with some centres forced to shut or postpone appointments.

But for some it was a chance for a little fun in the snow, with youngsters leaping on toboggans in Penicuik, Scotland. Flurries fell as far south as Suffolk.

South eastern areas too mild for snow were not spared, as heavy rain led to flooding. Rivers including the Great Ouse in Cambridgeshire burst their banks.

Severe weather closed more than 600 schools which had stayed open for key workers’ children, mostly in West and South Yorkshire. 

Staff at the Fenn Bell Inn in Hoo, Kent, battled to salvage furniture after it was flooded. 

Connor Gordon, one of those trying to save the pub’s possessions, said: ‘The building is ruined, nearly a foot of water inside, it’s even deeper outside. The ditches are full and bursting, the roads are flooded and getting worse.’

Elderly patients due to receive Covid jabs at Newcastle’s Centre for Life mass vaccination hub were advised to rebook their appointments to avoid the bad weather.

The Newcastle NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust tweeted: ‘It’s easy to do by calling 119. No need to risk travelling in the bad weather.’ 

And all vaccinations at the Priory Campus in Barnsley had to be postponed from 3pm, with patients advised not to travel. 

Snow caused problems for ambulance services in Yorkshire who struggled to keep up with the high demand.

Mark Millins, of Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, urged people to ‘take extra care’ when out walking or driving. 

A Met Office spokesman said: ‘The highest accumulations of snow were in North East England, where 15cm (6in) was recorded at Copley, County Durham.’ He said snow was recorded as far south as Lakenheath and Marham, in Suffolk. 

Main roads in Scotland yesterday were brought to a standstill, particularly in areas with an amber ‘be prepared’ weather warning. In Dunblane, Perthshire, one resident said the only traffic was sledges.

In Renfrewshire, drivers abandoned their cars after a number of accidents blocked local roads. 

One motorist thanked locals on Church Road in Giffnock for bringing her tea following a dramatic three-car crash. She wrote on social media: ‘Don’t think I will see my car again.’

On the Stewarton Road, linking south Glasgow with Newton Mearns, cars were abandoned, while police used their vehicles to block off roads.

Train services between Glasgow and East Kilbride were suspended for a while after a vehicle crashed into a railway bridge in Busby.   

Heavy snowfall blocked the A9 southbound at Dunblane, with traffic being diverted through the town. Those aged over 80 had been invited to get their Covid vaccination in the town’s Victoria Hall but many thought it unsafe to leave the house.

Twenty Perthshire primary schools and nurseries closed and were unable to accommodate the children of key workers.

One Dunblane resident said: ‘We feel we have been cut off. There’s almost a foot of snow here. The only traffic moving on our street are the sledges.’ 

Traffic Scotland warned drivers of ‘difficult driving conditions’ on the A82 between Tyndrum and Bridge of Orchy. An accident on the M9 closed the Friarton Bridge, with traffic being diverted through Perth.

Police Scotland’s road policing unit has warned against drivers travelling in the wintry weather.

Chief Superintendent Louise Blakelock said: ‘Government restrictions on travelling remain in place across Scotland because of the ongoing pandemic.

‘People should not leave their homes unless for essential purposes and work from home where possible. The best way to stay safe is to stay at home.

‘In the current wintry weather please consider if your journey is exempt under the regulations and also if it really is essential and whether you can delay it until the weather improves.’  

After the latest weather front passes, Atlantic-dominated weather will become established, bringing moister and warmer air with rain dominating. This will confine snowfall to the highest elevations in the north.

Nick Silkstone, deputy chief meteorologist, said: ‘During Monday and Tuesday we will see large rainfall totals across the high ground of western Britain. This rainfall combined with snowmelt will lead to a high volume of water moving through river catchments in these regions.’

During Wednesday, an area of low-pressure anchored in the North Sea will establish a northerly air flow coming into the UK, heralding a return to colder conditions, with wintry showers over higher ground.

Those fearing a return of the Beast from the East – the Siberian weather system that brought heavy snow in February and March 2018 – can rest easy after the Met Office said it is unlikely to roar back in the coming weeks.