Hundreds of Schools Shut as Fresh Snow Batters UK
Hundreds of UK schools close as snow and ice worsen. The Met Office warns of travel disruption and Arctic conditions spreading south this week.
Hundreds of schools across the UK have been closed due to snow and ice, as the country experienced its coldest night of the winter so far.
Temperatures plummeted to -12.5C (9.5F) in Marham, Norfolk, as Arctic air swept across the UK, while rail and road travellers were warned to expect disruption and hazardous conditions on Tuesday.
The Met Office said that south-east and central England, which had so far escaped the worst of the cold snap, could face disruptive snowy weather on Thursday and Friday.
Parts of northern Scotland remain under an amber warning for snow until Tuesday night. A less severe yellow warning is in place across much of the UK until 11:00 GMT.
Heavy snowfall of 5-10cm is expected in central and northern Scotland, with up to 15cm possible in some areas. Temperatures dropped to -11.2C overnight in Dalwhinnie in the Scottish Highlands.
The Met Office has advised people in the area to avoid driving and to prepare for potential power cuts.
The agency says a yellow warning means some disruption is possible but many people can continue with their daily routines, while an amber warning indicates travel disruption, power cuts and a potential risk to life and property, with people advised to take extra care.
School closures continue across the country due to the persistent Arctic air. More than 330 schools were closed in Wales on Tuesday and more than 170 in Northern Ireland.
Philip McCullough, principal of St Patrick and St Brigid's College in Claudy, told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme: "It's as bad as I've ever seen it."
Meanwhile, Aberdeenshire, Orkney and Shetland councils have also announced that their schools will remain closed. In England, 20 schools are closed in Norfolk and several schools in Devon were due to start later on Tuesday.
The rail network was disrupted in some areas on Monday – Eurostar trains were unable to reach the Netherlands and Network Rail Scotland warned of "exceptionally deep snow" limiting the progress of snow ploughs.
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LNER has advised anyone travelling between Edinburgh and Aberdeen not to travel until 14:00 GMT on Tuesday. National Rail said train services in northern Scotland would remain disrupted until later on Tuesday.
CalMac Ferries said services on Scotland's west coast would be disrupted throughout the day. Several main roads were closed in Wales on Tuesday morning.
Flights were suspended at Liverpool John Lennon Airport on Monday as the runway had to be closed due to snow and ice. The airport reopened later the same day.
The cold snap does not appear to be ending anytime soon. Towards the end of the week, strong winds and heavy rain could bring another threat as a deep area of low pressure moves across the UK.
The Met Office said that in southern parts of England – where most areas have so far escaped significant snowfall – some snow could fall on higher ground on Thursday and Friday.
Northern and central areas of England could face more snow, rain and strong winds, depending on the track of the approaching Atlantic system.
Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said there was a 20% chance the system would take a northerly track, bringing widespread strong winds and rain to much of England and Wales, and potentially more snow to northern England, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland.
But he said it was more likely that the front would pass over northern France, bringing snowfall to the southern counties of England. He added that the most likely scenario is that southern parts of the UK will experience wind and rain, while central England faces the risk of disruption from snowfall.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber cold weather health alert for England, which will remain in effect until Friday.
Due to the cold conditions, the government's cold weather payments have been triggered in 451 postcodes across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Under this scheme, eligible families receiving certain benefits automatically receive £25 if the temperature in their local area is recorded or forecast to be 0°C or below for seven consecutive days.
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