Polar blast grips Britain: MORE snow will fall across south tonight with temperatures plunging to
By Emily Jane Davies[1] and Mark Duell[2]
Published: 18:15, 8 January 2024 | Updated: 23:53, 8 January 2024
More snow is forecasted to fall across Britain tonight with temperatures plunging to -9C while 2,000 properties are confirmed to have flooded from Storm Henk.
Environment minister Robbie Moore has said ‘2,000 properties are flooded’ as a result of Storm Henk battering the UK.
The Met Office has also warned of ice and snow leading to slippery surfaces today, advising drivers to be wary of ice patches on the roads.
Temperatures could reach as low as -9C in Scotland and -6C in Wales tonight, with further snow expected in the south.
There is also an amber cold health alert in place for the north west, west and east Midlands and south of England which will stay in place until Friday.
The alert from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) means ‘cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time’
It comes as the country tries to recover from the aftermath of Storm Henk – which saw many areas flooded and two people killed by falling trees.
Gritters on the M25 in Kent late this afternoon as the snow fell
A pedestrian crosses a bridge during a snow shower near Maidstone in Kent today
Snow falls near the Household Cavalry in Westminster as temperatures plummet
Snow will continue to fall across the south tonight as temperatures are forecasted to plunge as low as -9C, with an amber alert in place until Friday
Making a statement to the Commons, Mr Moore told MPs: ‘The Government began planning for the elevated flood risk as soon as the Met Office forecast indicated an unsettled period of weather over Christmas and the new year.
‘The Environment Agency started planning and preparing in the week before Christmas.’
Shadow environment secretary Steve Reed criticised the Government’s long-term record, saying: ‘With one-in-six homes at risk of flooding, homeowners must be horrified that their Government has done little more than stare out of the window and watch the rain come down.’
He added: ‘While we can’t stop the rain from falling, we can and we should do more to protect communities, businesses and farms from the devastation of flooding.’
Mr Reed said money allocated for flood defences has yet to be spent in some areas. Mr Moore said the Government has ‘invested GBP6 billion to better protect 600,000 properties from flooding’ since 2010.
A pedestrian crosses a bridge during a snow shower near Maidstone in Kent
A woman walks her dog through the churchyard at St Peter & St Paul’s at Ash in Kent today
Leeds Castle in Kent is covered in snow this afternoon as the Met Office imposed an ice alert
Environment minister Robbie Moore has said ‘2,000 properties are flooded’ as a result of Storm Henk battering the UK. Pictured are homes flooded on Sunday in Reading
Mr Reed said money allocated for flood defences has yet to be spent in some areas. Pictured is Dunham Bridge in Lincolnshire, partially submerged in murky floodwater
Snow fell across Britain today as temperatures plunged to -7C. Snowflakes were seen from County Durham to Kent and Cumbria to London.
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said that not much of the snow appeared to have settled, with some areas seeing a ‘dusting of maybe one centimetre or two of snow’.
He added that Tuesday would be drier with limited snowfall, apart from some wintry showers in Cornwall.
The forecaster said a cold wind coming in from the east means there will be a ‘significant wind chill’ again on Tuesday, which will make temperatures feel more like minus 3C in the South West of England.
He told the PA news agency: ‘We’re not expecting much in the way of further snowfall on Tuesday.
In actual fact, it will be much sunnier than today, particularly in the south compared to Monday.’
Mr Morgan said there was a risk of ice in some areas because the ground ‘is still quite wet’ after several weeks of wet weather.
He added: ‘We are likely to see some icy patches tonight, particularly in South Wales and southern parts of England.’
Flood misery also continued with 300 Environment Agency alerts or warnings in place after more than 1,800 properties were deluged by prolonged, intense rainfall.
The mercury is set to plummet tonight to -9C (16F) in Scotland, while tomorrow will again be very chilly with maximums of just 3C (37F) in much of southern England.
This morning, temperatures fell to -7C at Altnaharra in Scotland, -5C (23F) at Castlederg in Northern Ireland[3], -2C (28F) in Yeovilton, Somerset, and -1C (30F) at Keswick in the Lake District – while London[4] and Birmingham[5] both fell to 0C (32F).
And the Met Office[6] issued a new 12-hour ice warning for southern England and South Wales from 3pm today until 3am tomorrow – with up to 0.8in (2cm) of snow set to fall this afternoon and evening in some areas, mostly over higher ground.
Also today, trains were still disrupted by flooding, including Great Western Railway between Reading and Westbury and CrossCountry between Gloucester and Lydney.
A woman is caught in a snow flurry on street in Orpington, South East London, this morning
Cars parked during a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
Snow surrounds St Peter & St Paul’s Church at Ash in Kent this afternoon
A man walks his dog through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
Heavy snow falling at Edenbridge in Kent this afternoon as the country faces severe weather
Leeds Castle in Kent is covered in snow this afternoon as the Met Office imposed an ice alert
Snow arrives at Killhope in County Durham this morning as motorists are warned of icy roads
A person walking through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
The Met Office ice warning for the South which runs from 3pm today until 3am tomorrow
Cold Health Alerts issued by UK Health Security Agency
Cold Health Alerts (CHA) are running from now until 12pm this Friday.
Amber CHA
- North West England
- West Midlands
- East Midlands
- South West England
Yellow CHA
- North East England
- Yorkshire and The Humber
- East England
- South East England
- London
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This morning, the Met Office issued a new ice warning from 3pm today, saying: ‘Parts of southern Britain are likely to see some snow showers during Monday afternoon and the first part of the night.
‘Most places will see little or no lying snow, but 1 to 2cm may settle in one or two places, mostly over high ground.
‘In addition, some icy surfaces are possible for a time. However, the chance is this reduces by dawn on Tuesday as snow showers clear to the west and surfaces dry out.’
It comes after similar ice warnings across parts of South East England and Northern Ireland expired at 10am this morning.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland roads account tweeted today: ‘Motorists should exercise caution this morning, particularly on untreated roads, as freezing temperatures have caused widespread ice throughout the road network.
‘Stick to main, gritted roads when possible. Slow down, and increase your braking distance from the vehicle in front.’
And Greater Anglia told rail passengers today: ‘We are expecting icy conditions this morning.
Please take care when travelling.’
Also today, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer[7] said the Government’s response to the flooding was not ‘good enough’ and vowed he would take pre-emptive action as he toured streets being cleared up after last week’s deluge.
Sir Keir was speaking after Ian Clements, 68, showed him around his drenched semi-detached house in Loughborough, Leicestershire, this morning.
Mr Clements described how water from the nearby canal surged down Bottleacre Lane last Wednesday, reaching more than a foot deep in his lounge.
The Labour leader explained how he would set up a flood resilience task force to make sure preventative measures were in place before the winter flooding season.
A man walks his dog as snow falls near West Kingsdown in Kent this morning
A car driving through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
Leeds Castle in Kent is covered in snow this afternoon as the Met Office imposed an ice alert
Vehicles drive through a snow shower on the M20 motorway near Maidstone in Kent today
A person walking through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
A light dusting of snow has fallen on football pitches in Hove, East Sussex, this morning
A person walking through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
Heavy snow falling at Edenbridge in Kent this afternoon as the country faces severe weather
A person walking through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
Cars parked during a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
Cars are driven during a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
James Dickie braves the snow to enjoy a pint outside The Owl in Kingsfold, West Sussex, today
People walking through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
Snow falls at Killhope Mining Museum in County Durham this morning
A person walking through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
A person walking through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
A dusting of snow on fields in Hove, East Sussex, is pictured this morning
A car is driven through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
A pedestrian passes vehicles on a motorway bridge in snow near Maidstone in Kent today
A car is driven through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent, this afternoon
Snow falls near Maidstone in Kent today as some regions continue to grapple with flooding
Footprints through the snow in the village of Detling in Kent this morning
He said: ‘The response wasn’t quick enough. So I just don’t think it’s good enough for the Government to come after the event again and express empathy.
‘Get ahead of this with a task force. That’s what I would do.’
Asked if Labour would provide more money for flood prevention, Sir Keir said: ‘Of course it does need money but the task force is not just about money.
‘It’s about getting the basics done.
Getting those drains cleared.
Getting the local authorities together.
Having a plan.’
Yesterday, Rishi Sunak visited flood-hit residents in Oxford as Environment Agency (EA) workers continue trying to mop up from the heavy rainfall and high winds during Storm Henk last week.
South London and parts of the South East, covered by the ice warning, will endure ‘a mix of sleet and snow showers’ that will move in from the east and ‘temperatures near zero’, according to the Met Office.
The forecaster added: ‘Given these wintry showers, and also wet surfaces after recent wet weather, some icy patches are likely on untreated surfaces.
‘Additionally a few of the snow showers could turn quite heavy; these probably only affecting a narrow zone but a few places could see 1 to 3cm, mainly over the north Downs and on grassy surfaces.’
Drivers in Datchet, Berkshire, make their way along a road flooded from the Thames today
A lorry stuck in floodwater today on the A1101 in Welney, Norfolk – the lowest road in England
St Ives in Cambridgeshire surrounded by flooding today after the Great Ouse burst its banks
Cleveland Pools in Somerset, which is the UK’s oldest lido and recently underwent a GBP9.3million restoration, has been engulfed by floodwater in recent days
Floodwater from the rivers Avon and Severn surrounds Tewkesbury Abbey this morning
Drivers in Datchet, Berkshire, make their way along a road flooded from the Thames today
The town of St Ives in Cambridgeshire is still surrounded by flood water this morning
Drivers in Datchet, Berkshire, make their way along a road flooded from the Thames today
A cyclist travels through floodwater at Orton Mere in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, today
A cyclist travels through floodwater at Orton Mere in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, today
Drivers in Datchet, Berkshire, make their way along a road flooded from the Thames today
The EA has warned that more than 1,800 properties have already flooded, and more could be affected over the next week as river levels rise – with the impact of high water levels likely to continue particularly around the Trent, Severn and Thames.
The agency said buildings ‘will flood and there will be travel disruption’ during that time period, and local groundwater flooding is also possible in the South of England, Yorkshire and the Humber.
There were 169 flood warnings in place where flooding is expected and 159 flood alerts this morning in the southern parts of England, up through the Midlands and into Yorkshire.
Mr Sunak had sought to defend the Government’s record on flood protection as he spoke to the media in front of the fast-moving River Thames.
He said: ‘We have over 1,000 Environment Agency personnel on the ground in local communities helping, over 200 pumps have been deployed.
There are 169 flood warnings (in red) in place where flooding is expected and 159 flood alerts (in amber) today in the southern parts of England, up through the Midlands and into Yorkshire
Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak talks to members of the Environment Agency as he looks at flood defences during a visit to Oxford yesterday
‘We’ve invested GBP5.2billion in flood defences over the period in question, that’s a record sum, far more than we’ve done (previously), in the future that’s contributed to protecting over 300,000 homes.
‘And, of course, there have been many people affected by what’s happened over the past week, but also over 49,000 have been protected from flooding.’
Labour had accused the Government of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ over flood warnings, with leader Sir Keir Starmer vowing to make flood defences ‘fit for purpose’, writing on social media that ‘people’s lives shouldn’t be upended by extreme rain’.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UKHSA, said: ‘With the Met Office forecasting drops in temperature across the United Kingdom into next week, it is important to check in on the wellbeing of those most vulnerable to the cold.’
The cold weather can increase the risks of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections and can have a serious health impact for older people and those with pre-existing health conditions.
References
- ^ Emily Jane Davies (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Mark Duell (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Northern Ireland (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ London (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Birmingham (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Met Office (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Keir Starmer (www.dailymail.co.uk)