The UK is experiencing its first significant winter blast, with blizzards, ice, and freezing temperatures causing widespread disruption. Hundreds of schools have closed, roads are blocked or treacherous, and power cuts have been reported in some areas. The Met Office has issued eight yellow snow and ice warnings for Thursday, covering regions including Devon, Cornwall, Kent, East Anglia, northeast England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and northern Scotland.
A rare amber warning is in place for the North York Moors and Yorkshire Wolds from 3am to 9pm, with forecasters predicting up to 25cm of snow on hills and occasional blizzards likely to cause substantial disruption. The coldest night of the season was recorded across many parts of the UK, with temperatures dropping to -6.6C at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire and -6.4C in Sennybridge, Powys. In rural Scotland, temperatures could fall as low as -10C on Thursday night.
In Scotland, Aberdeenshire was the worst-hit region, with more than 90 schools closed. In Wales, 36 schools shut in Pembrokeshire, 14 in Carmarthenshire, and seven in Ceredigion. About 30 schools in North Yorkshire, eight in East Yorkshire, and several in Northumberland also did not open. Major road closures included the A1 northbound between Morpeth and Alnwick, the A171, and the A169 Pickering to Whitby. Police advised motorists to avoid unnecessary travel in affected areas.
The AA urged drivers to slow down and increase stopping distances, as icy surfaces can increase stopping distances tenfold. Shaun Jones, an AA expert patrol, said: “When snow and ice hit, the roads can quickly become treacherous. Drivers should plan ahead, stick to main routes, and allow extra time for their journey.” The UK Health Security Agency has issued an amber cold health alert for northern England until Saturday morning.
Some attractions, such as the Ryedale Folk Museum in North Yorkshire, closed due to snow for the first time in a decade. Researcher Rose Barrett noted that snowy Novembers are rare in the region, with the last significant one in 1925. The Met Office reported “thundersnow” in Aberdeenshire and off the northeast coast, with a risk of more on Thursday. Temperatures are expected to rise towards the weekend, but wetter and windier weather will follow.
