The UK is facing continued travel disruption as snow and ice grip the nation, with temperatures dropping to their lowest in a decade. A reading of -16.7C was recorded in Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands on Tuesday morning, the coldest since December 2010.
More snow is forecast, with weather warnings in place for parts of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland until Wednesday. Hundreds of schools and some Covid vaccination centres remain closed, and police have urged people not to travel. Biting easterly winds are contributing to the sub-zero conditions, with forecasters warning of even colder temperatures overnight and into Wednesday morning, particularly in northern England and Scotland.
Heavy snow on Monday left 29cm in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, and up to 26cm in parts of eastern England. An amber warning for snow is in place for Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth, Stirling and surrounding areas of Scotland until 21:00 GMT on Tuesday, with up to 20cm more snow expected on higher ground. There have been several road accidents in Scotland and significant disruption to rail routes, including between Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The Met Office said strong easterly winds have made the UK 'bitterly cold' due to a 'glancing blow' from Storm Darcy, which has been crossing northern Europe. Spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said temperatures could drop further on Wednesday night but conditions are set to become milder at the weekend. Yellow warnings for snow and ice cover the entire central and eastern length of Britain until the end of Wednesday, and parts of Northern Ireland until Wednesday morning.
There were 18 flood warnings and 100 flood alerts across England as of Tuesday evening. National Rail advised passengers to check for disruption. The AA reported 'treacherous driving conditions' causing numerous accidents, with roads closed in several counties. Police in Norfolk warned of 'blizzard-like conditions' with snowdrifts and blockages, while Suffolk Police urged people to only go out if necessary. Public Health England issued a cold weather alert for the whole nation through to Wednesday, urging people to look out for vulnerable individuals.
