UK weather: Schools close as Arctic blast brings heavy snowfall, lower temperatures
Snowfall across various parts of the UK has led to the closure of schools and disruptions for travelers. More than 100 schools in Scotland and several in Merseyside had to close due to adverse weather conditions. The overnight drop in temperatures, accompanied by biting winds from the north, resulted in freezing conditions across the UK.
The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for snow and ice in Scotland, much of northern England, and north Wales[2] throughout Tuesday.
Additionally, a new warning for ice is in effect in Northern Ireland[3]. Scotland is anticipated to experience the most severe weather, with up to 10cm (almost four inches) of snowfall on higher ground, as well as snow in the Pennines.
Other parts of Scotland have reported 1-5cm of snowfall. Forecasters predict that Wednesday could be the coldest night of the winter so far, with temperatures widely dropping to -5?C, potentially reaching lows of -10?C.In response to the challenging conditions, all schools in Shetland were closed, more than 50 in the Highlands shut down, and sites in Aberdeenshire were affected.
Transport Scotland reported that gritters had been actively working to keep roads clear, implementing well-established plans to minimize disruptions.
South of the border, Liverpool Council acknowledged the widespread impact of the conditions, deploying staff to clear snow around essential areas. However, Liberal Democrat councillors claimed in a letter that the snow had caused “chaos” locally, turning roads and paths into “ice rinks” and disrupting public transport.
Major routes were treated in Liverpool after residents questioned the deployment of gritters. Roads were closed in Belthorn, Lancashire, following a crash, with police warning of “very dangerous” driving conditions.
National Highways issued a severe weather alert for the north-west of England, cautioning that freezing temperatures and snow could make roads hazardous.Merseyside Police and Lancashire police reported incidents on the roads due to snow. National Rail also warned of potential disruptions across the network throughout the week.The Met Office highlighted that temperatures this week are 5-6?C lower than usual for this time of year. Yellow warnings for Northern Ireland and various parts of the UK are in place for ice, snow, and low temperatures.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued an amber cold weather warning for England, anticipating increased NHS demand, particularly from older and vulnerable individuals.
The cold spell triggered automatic GBP25 payments for eligible households in more than 220 postcodes where temperatures are expected to remain below zero for a week. Looking ahead, the BBC Weather forecaster mentioned the possibility of an area of low pressure moving across France on Wednesday, potentially affecting the south of England with small amounts of snow. Milder weather with wind and rain is expected to sweep across the UK over the weekend, bringing an end to the cold spell.
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