This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/dec/27/snow-ice-and-strong-winds-hit-large-parts-of-uk
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Air travellers and motorists facing severe delays as wintry weather hits UK | Air travellers and motorists facing severe delays as wintry weather hits UK |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Flights have been delayed and motorists are facing gridlock with snow and ice hitting large swaths of the UK. | Flights have been delayed and motorists are facing gridlock with snow and ice hitting large swaths of the UK. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Drivers in the East Midlands were at a standstill for more than seven hours following multiple collisions due to snow and ice which caused tailbacks spanning several miles on the A14. | |
| The road was finally reopened in both directions in the early afternoon, albeit with traffic still moving slowly in some parts, after Highways England had cleared the snow. | |
| #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 |
| “All of our available resources have been dispatched to help move stranded vehicles and clear snow from the carriageway,” it tweeted. | “All of our available resources have been dispatched to help move stranded vehicles and clear snow from the carriageway,” it tweeted. |
| 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”. | 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”. |
| Stuck A14 West Bound between junctions 2-3 in Northamptonshire. Haven’t moved for over 3 hours!! #thankgoodnessfornetflix #uksnow #weather pic.twitter.com/hfsKYg8NIK | Stuck A14 West Bound between junctions 2-3 in Northamptonshire. Haven’t moved for over 3 hours!! #thankgoodnessfornetflix #uksnow #weather pic.twitter.com/hfsKYg8NIK |
| 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. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 recorded in parts of the south-west overnight, with gusts of up to 50mph across Cornwall. | Strong winds were recorded in parts of the south-west overnight, with gusts of up to 50mph across Cornwall. |
| 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. | 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. |