The UK's big freeze is set to continue as temperatures plummet to -17C in rural Scotland
15 December 2022, 15:47
The Met Office has extended its 'yellow' weather warning, while the cold snap continues to impact railways, airways, and roads.
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Amid sub-zero conditions, the Met Office has made clear that the -10C arctic blast which first hit the UK earlier this month won’t be defrosting anytime soon.
A new 'yellow' ice and snow warning until Friday for the UK's eastern strip including Yorkshire and the Humber, large parts of Scotland, and most of Northern Ireland.
A new snow map from weather forecast data viewer, WXCHARTS, has seconded the Met Office's forecast and revealed that large parts of the UK can expect to once more be coated in snowfall for the rest of the week.
This comes after Braemar in rural Scotland plummeted to a record-breaking -17C on Monday night.
The Met Office has warned that outbreaks of sleet and snow will spread across much of the southern, central, and western parts of Scotland this week, alongside huge parts of England and Northern Ireland.
People have been cautioned to stay wary of slippery surfaces, which will become more dangerous as snow and sleet continue to smother parts of the country.
With new snowfall firmly underway, the travel disruptions that commuters have been valiantly battling are unlikely to diminish.
National Highways has issued a new statement to motorists urging them to only travel to parts of the country 'if necessary' due to unsafe road conditions as a result of icy surfaces.
Amid the big freeze, drivers have reportedly been stuck on sleet-ridden roads for hours longer than they should have been - with thousands stranded for several hours on the M25 after it closed both ways between Hertfordshire's Junction 23 and Junction 25.
The runway closures and flight cancellations that hit major UK airports earlier this week, as a result of the 5inch snowfall, is likely to continue over the following few days.
London Heathrow Airport, London Stansted Airport, London Gatwick Airport, and Manchester Airport were among the travel hotspots that had experienced the most disruption due to the shock polar blast which blanketed crucial runways in snow.
Shortly after the snowfall, Gatwick Airport posted on Twitter that the government forecasters' freezing weather warnings will inevitably lead to 'delays' and 'cancellations'.
The Sussex-based airport also urged passengers to check their flight status' with their airlines online, and to research local travel conditions before setting off for the airport.
The air travel disruptions came to a head on Wednesday after snowy conditions created a bed of ice and sleet. At least 75 flights were reportedly cancelled to and from London, which affected more than 10,000 passengers. Flag-carrier airline, British Airways' flights to and from Heathrow Airport had been particularly affected because of airport mandated reductions, after 14 departing and 11 arriving flights were cancelled.
The nation's railways, although no stranger to severe disruptions and cancellations due to ongoing RMT strikes, saw freezing conditions exacerbate existing delays after heavy snowfall in parts of the country skewed rail paths.
In Shetland, a critical incident has been declared by the Scottish Government after a power cut caused by extremely low temperatures left 3,800 homes without electricity. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) are currently working to restore supplies to the 2,800 properties which remain off supply in Voe, Brae, Yell, and the West Mainland.
On Wednesday, hundreds of engineers arrived by ferry from Aberdeen to help restore power on the island, with the SSEN distributers working on the incident stating that the conditions in Shetland are the 'worst' they've seen in 20 years.
As the cold weather conditions continue to grip the UK, many households have had to choose between heating and eating as the big freeze swarms the UK during a period of high inflation.
Last week, the Department for Work and Pensions' £25.00 Cold Weather Payment was triggered for individuals who are deemed vulnerable during the cost of living and energy crisis. Those who are eligible for the benefit booster will automatically receive it via bank transfer within 14 days.
