Hundreds of schools have closed and flights have been cancelled across parts of the UK as amber weather warnings for snow remain in force, causing significant travel disruption. The Met Office has issued amber warnings for parts of Scotland, forecasting heavy snowfall and severe disruption, while yellow warnings for snow and ice cover much of the rest of the UK.
Schools in Shetland, Orkney, the Western Isles, Aberdeenshire and Moray were closed on Monday. In Northern Ireland, 186 schools shut, affecting thousands of pupils. The principal of St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s College in Claudy, County Derry, described conditions as “very, very bad” and “as bad as I’ve seen it”.
Snow depths reached 34cm at Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands, with 27cm recorded at Dyce in Aberdeenshire and Altnaharra in Sutherland. The Met Office warned that rural communities could become cut off, with a further 10cm expected in low-lying areas and up to 20-30cm on higher ground.
Transport across Scotland is severely affected. Network Rail Scotland warned that heavy and drifting snow is likely to prevent trains from running until at least midday on routes including Aberdeen-Dundee, Aberdeen-Inverness, Inverness-Wick/Thurso and Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh. Loganair cancelled flights from Aberdeen and Inverness, while Liverpool John Lennon Airport closed its runway due to wintry conditions.
Yellow weather warnings are in place for parts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Sennybridge in Powys, Wales, recorded 19cm of snow, while Castlederg in County Tyrone saw 9cm and Bridlington in East Yorkshire 6cm. Eurostar advised passengers travelling between London and the Netherlands to postpone journeys, as services beyond Brussels were cancelled.
The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber cold weather warnings for all areas in England until Friday. Scottish transport secretary Fiona Hyslop urged people to delay travel if possible and ensure vehicles are winter-ready. The RAC advised only essential trips, urging drivers to take extreme care on ungritted roads.
