Arctic Freeze Grips Nation with Dangerous Conditions
The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings as Britain prepares for another night of potentially record-breaking sub-zero temperatures. Forecasters warn that thermometers could plummet to as low as -11°C in some rural areas overnight, creating hazardous conditions across multiple regions.
Widespread Disruption Across Transport and Education
The freezing Arctic air has already caused significant disruption, with dozens of schools closed across Wales, Devon, Cornwall and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, the situation was particularly severe with 190 schools or nurseries across Aberdeenshire forced to shut their doors due to heavy snowfall.
Transport networks have been severely affected, with North Yorkshire Police urging motorists to avoid the A171 near Whitby after multiple vehicles became stranded in snow. Officers took the additional step of closing the A169 between Whitby and Pickering amid dangerous whiteout conditions.
National Rail has advised commuters to check their journeys before travelling, while in Scotland, the A90 in Aberdeen was shut between Cleanhill and Stonehaven due to the extreme weather.
Health Alerts and Power Outages Compound Crisis
The UK Health Security Agency has maintained cold weather health alerts until Saturday, emphasising the risks to vulnerable populations. Meanwhile, hundreds of properties in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion experienced power outages, adding to the challenges faced by residents.
Temperatures have been remarkably low, with Dundreggan in Inverness-shire recording -6.4°C overnight on Thursday - significantly colder than Moscow, which only dipped to -3°C. Daytime temperatures struggled to rise above freezing in many areas, with Loch Glascarnoch near Garve, Ross-shire, peaking at just 1.1°C.
Despite the current severe conditions, forecasters predict that the Arctic blast will be short-lived, with temperatures across much of the country expected to turn milder over the weekend. A Met Office spokesman confirmed: 'After a widespread frost overnight, the risk of snow diminishes as temperatures turn slightly milder. Many areas will be dry and fine with long spells of sunshine.'
