Met Office issues fresh warnings for ice and snow as commuters brace for more travel chaos

20 November 2024, 08:31 | Updated: 20 November 2024, 08:32

Commuters are waking up to ice and frost this morning, after temperatures dropped below freezing overnight and swathes of the country were blanketed by snow.

Much of southern England, the Midlands and eastern Wales is under a yellow ice warning until 10am on Wednesday.

Several other warnings for snow and ice are in force across the UK, with the Met Office advising vehicles could be stranded, power cuts may occur and rural areas could be cut off.

Snowfall was also widely reported, with 12cm of lying snow recorded at Watnall, Nottinghamshire as an Arctic airmass moved in.

More than 200 school closures due to the snow were reported on Tuesday, with around 140 recorded in Wales.

Forecasters say commuters are likely to face disruption through the morning.

The Met Office added cold northerly winds will continue through the week across much of the UK.

On Monday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued the first amber cold weather health alert of the season, warning conditions could be dangerous for vulnerable people, including the elderly.

The amber warning covers the east and north of England, the Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber, with yellow alerts coming into place for the South East, South West and London until 6pm on Saturday.

Read more: Britain braces for another day of snow chaos as new ice warning comes into force amid fears of travel misery

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The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice along the east coast of Scotland and England from Berwickshire to Suffolk from 6pm on Tuesday to midday on Wednesday.

A yellow warning for snow and ice has also been issued for Northern Ireland from 6pm on Tuesday to 10am on Wednesday, with a separate warning also in place across most of Wales and parts of the West Midlands until 10am on Wednesday.

There are also snow and ice warnings in place covering the north of Scotland until 10am on Wednesday and parts of western Scotland from 7pm on Tuesday to 10am on Wednesday.

Drone footage as snow falls in Warwick

'Hazard'

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Neil Armstrong said: “With cold Arctic air firmly in place over the UK, continued winter hazards are likely through much of this week, with further updates to warnings likely in the coming days.

“The current focus for upcoming snow and ice risk is from later on Tuesday and overnight into Wednesday, with snow showers likely moving in off windward coasts in the north and east, as well as drifting into parts of Northern Ireland and Wales.

“In excess of 10cm of snow is possible over higher ground within the warning areas, with 1-2cm possibly settling at lower levels, which has the potential to lead to some travel disruption.

"Ice is an additional hazard and is likely to form quickly on untreated surfaces.”

Monday night saw sub-zero temperatures for much of the UK, reaching as low as -11.2C at Braemar in Aberdeenshire.

Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said temperatures could drop to -12C in rural parts of Scotland and -7C in rural parts of Wales on Wednesday night.

Mr Dixon told the PA news agency: "We've had a fairly mild November so far.

"So it'll feel like that first taste of winter for many with that snow and ice risk layered on top."

He added: "The highest accumulations are likely over the mountains in Scotland, where over higher ground you could see around 20cm of snow through this week accumulating on the ground.

"They are not necessarily the most disruptive snowfalls, but it only takes a couple of centimetres on lower ground to cause some level of travel disruption."

Thousands of train passengers suffered disruption due to the weather on Tuesday morning.

By 11am on Tuesday, some 64 out of a total of 120 services planned by East Midlands Railway were cancelled or delayed by at least half an hour, according to the trains.im punctuality and reliability website.

A Stagecoach bus in Aberdeenshire toppled onto its side with a passenger on board in icy conditions on Tuesday morning in the New Leeds area.

A spokesperson for Stagecoach North Scotland said: "We can confirm that one of our vehicles operating on service X67 has been involved in an incident at New Leeds this morning due to ice on the road.

"One passenger was on board, and there were no injuries."

The Met Office said cold northerly winds will continue through the week across much of the UK, with further warnings likely.

It added that temperatures were likely to increase from the south-west this weekend, though this will be accompanied by some strong winds and heavy rain.

The Alzheimer's Society warned that cold weather can be "particularly challenging" for people with dementia.

"Colder temperatures can be difficult for a person with dementia to adjust to, and they may not always be able to communicate that they are cold - or they may not even recognise it themselves," the charity said.

Another charity, Asthma + Lung UK, urged those with lung conditions to be "extra careful".

The charity warned cold weather can trigger potentially life-threatening asthma attacks or "flare-ups" for people with other lung conditions.

Heavy snow falls in London as Met Office issue weather warning

Further hazards likely in a cold week

The Met Office said: "Cold northerly winds will continue through the week across much of the UK, with further warnings likely.

"Daytime temperatures will be in the low single figures for most, potentially slightly less cold in the far south, though a wind chill means it will feel cold for many.

"Despite the below average temperatures, there will be a good deal of sunshine away from the wintry showers near the coasts. Further snow accumulations are expected through the week, mostly by night at low levels, in northern Scotland and exposed parts elsewhere.

"There remains a possibility of a more organised band of rain and hill snow affecting the southwest through Thursday as a larger system runs into the continent, though there remains some uncertainty on this element of the forecast."

National Highways Severe Weather Resilience Manager, Darren Clark said: “Gritters will be out treating our roads around the clock when ice or snow is forecast, but it is still important to drive to the conditions.   

“Keep your distance and reduce your speed, because even in conditions that seem normal, and where the snow is not settling, it can be slippery if ice patches have formed, or where fresh grit has not been worked into the carriageway.   

“Drivers should plan their journeys, monitor weather reports and pack a snow kit of blankets, food, water and a shovel.”

What should I expect?

• Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services
• Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths
• Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces
• Some short term loss of power and other services is likely