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Snow, ice and strong winds hit large parts of UK Air travellers and motorists facing severe delays as wintry weather hits UK
(about 3 hours later)
Motorists have been warned of dangerous conditions on the roads and air travellers of potential disruption as snow and ice hit large swaths of the UK. Flights have been delayed and motorists are facing gridlock with snow and ice hitting large swaths of the UK.
Thousands were left without power overnight as freezing temperatures and strong winds swept in, with Western Power Networks, which serves the Midlands, Wales and the south-west, saying more than 14,000 properties had been left without power. Several flights have been delayed and cancelled at Stansted airport, where the runway had to be cleared of snow, and Luton, where passengers say they have been grounded.
The Met Office issued a yellow warning of rain and snow for the Midlands, London and the south-east, the north-west, south-west and Yorkshire and the Humber that will remain in place until 11am. Passengers at Birmingham airport were warned that snow could affect flights. Luton airport, where sleet and snow was forecast until 2pm, advised passengers to regularly check the status of their flight.
The rain and snow was not expected to clear the mainland until about 7pm on Wednesday, although showers were expected to become lighter and patchy as the day progresses. Traffic has been halted for hours in the Midlands. Drivers are at a standstill on the A14 following multiple collisions in Northamptonshire due to snow and ice. Northants police said a number of broken down HGVs had caused severe delays between junction eight and the M1, with only one lane open.
Highways England urged drivers to avoid the road, saying there were severe conditions in both directions between the M6/M1 and junction three, making it “impassable” in various locations.
#Snow and #rain will gradually ease this afternoon. It will then turn colder with widespread #ice this evening and overnight pic.twitter.com/RB4KuBCLyq#Snow and #rain will gradually ease this afternoon. It will then turn colder with widespread #ice this evening and overnight pic.twitter.com/RB4KuBCLyq
Warnings for ice have been issued for Northern Ireland, Yorkshire and the Humber, the north-east of England, the Highlands, Grampian, Lothian and Borders, Strathclyde and Orkney and Shetland. “All of our available resources have been dispatched to help move stranded vehicles and clear snow from the carriageway,” it tweeted.
Motorists on the M1 between junction 20 and 19 are experiencing delays of 40 minutes due to an accident involving a lorry, while the A46 is closed in both directions and flooding led to the closure of the A14 in Suffolk. The agency advised people stuck in their cars to “stay with your vehicles, heaters on and wrap up where possible”, adding it was doing all it could to “get vehicles cleared and get you moving”.
Police said there have also been multiple collisions on the A14 in Northamptonshire. Elsewhere, an HGV jack-knifed in heavy snow on the M5 in Gloucestershire.
Highways England said 2,000 tonnes of salt and grit had been put down in the West Midlands overnight, adding that treating roads was a “battle that we are constantly fighting”, though the worst weather had subsided and moved eastwards.
Stuck A14 West Bound between junctions 2-3 in Northamptonshire. Haven’t moved for over 3 hours!! #thankgoodnessfornetflix #uksnow #weather pic.twitter.com/hfsKYg8NIKStuck A14 West Bound between junctions 2-3 in Northamptonshire. Haven’t moved for over 3 hours!! #thankgoodnessfornetflix #uksnow #weather pic.twitter.com/hfsKYg8NIK
Meanwhile, passengers at Birmingham airport were warned that snow could affect flights. Luton airport, where sleet and snow was forecast until 2pm, advised passengers to regularly check the status of their flight. Thousands of people were left without power overnight as freezing temperatures and strong winds swept in, with Western Power Networks, which serves the Midlands, Wales and the south-west, saying more than 14,000 properties had been left without power.
The Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said: “We have had some quickly changing weather overnight with a band of heavy rain and hill snow that started in the south-west and is gradually moving north and eastwards. The rain and snow was not expected to clear the mainland until about 7pm on Wednesday, although showers were expected to become lighter and patchy as the day progressed.
Warnings for ice have been issued for Northern Ireland, Yorkshire and the Humber, the north-east of England, the Highlands, Grampian, Lothian and Borders, Strathclyde, and Orkney and Shetland.
Highways England said 2,000 tonnes of salt and grit had been put down in the West Midlands overnight, adding that treating roads was a “battle that we are constantly fighting”, though the worst weather had subsided and moved eastwards.
Simon Partridge, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “We have had some quickly changing weather overnight with a band of heavy rain and hill snow that started in the south-west and is gradually moving north and eastwards.
“That’s crossed Wales and is just lying over central southern England and it has brought some snow with it.”“That’s crossed Wales and is just lying over central southern England and it has brought some snow with it.”
Up to 7cm of snow fell over Exmoor, south Wales and the Cotswolds overnight, while there were also flurries in other areas.Up to 7cm of snow fell over Exmoor, south Wales and the Cotswolds overnight, while there were also flurries in other areas.
“We have had a number of reports of areas affected; it shut part of the M5 just south of Bristol because lorries could not get uphill,” Partridge said. “There [have] also been some power cuts reported and road traffic accidents as well, although these have been more to do with surface water.”“We have had a number of reports of areas affected; it shut part of the M5 just south of Bristol because lorries could not get uphill,” Partridge said. “There [have] also been some power cuts reported and road traffic accidents as well, although these have been more to do with surface water.”
Strong winds were also recorded in parts of the south-west overnight, with gusts of up to 50mph blowing across Cornwall. Strong winds were recorded in parts of the south-west overnight, with gusts of up to 50mph across Cornwall.
The Flood Information Service has issued 14 warnings, where flooding is expected and immediate action required, and 96 alerts where flooding is possible and people should be prepared. The government’s flood information service for England has nine warnings in force, where flooding is expected and immediate action required, and 94 alerts where flooding is possible and people should be prepared.