UK weather – latest: ‘Severe’ amber warning for snow issued as power cuts likely

Vishwam Sankaran and Emily Atkinson
·10 min read

The Met Office has issued a “severe” two-day amber weather warning for snow as the wintry weather looks set to worsen.

The warning stretches from Nottingham to just south of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and will remain in place between 3pm and 12pm on Friday.

“Power cuts are likely and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected,” the Met Office said.

Forecasters also warned of more delays to travel, including cancellations of rail and air travel, while it said there was a “good chance” rural communities face being cut off.

It comes after heavy overnight snowfall caused significant travel disruption across the UK today.

Flights from several airports have been hit by delays, including at Bristol Airport which temporarily closed for “snow clearing operations.

At least 27 flights due to depart from the airport on Wednesday morning have been affected, while several arrivals have been diverted to Birmingham.

Schools across the UK will remain closed on Wednesday due to heavy snowfall, with parents advised to check the local authority’s websites for the latest information.

Key Points

  • 'Severe’ amber warning for snow issued as power cuts likely

  • Coldest night of year so far as temperatures drop to -15.2C

  • Disruptions due to snow, ice to continue

  • Rural communities likely to be ‘cut off’ due to weather

  • Bristol Airport suspends flights due to ‘adverse weather conditions'

'Severe’ amber warning for snow issued as power cuts likely

14:53 , Emily Atkinson

The Met Office has issued a “severe” two-day amber weather warning for snow as the wintry weather looks set to worsen.

The warning stretches from Nottingham to just south Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and will remain in place between 3pm and 12pm on Friday.

“Heavy snow is likely to cause significant disruption on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning,” the Met Office said in an update this afternoon.

What to expect:

  • Travel delays on roads, stranding some vehicles and passengers

  • Some delays and cancellations to rail and air travel are likely

  • There is a good chance that some rural communities could become cut off

  • Power cuts are likely and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected

In pictures: People play in the snow on the Dunstable Downs in Bedfordshire

14:20 , Emily Atkinson

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Revealed: When and where it will snow in the UK this week

13:50 , Emily Atkinson

Snow and ice warnings have been issued across parts of the UK this week with up to 10cm of snow expected to settle in Scotland.

Yellow weather warnings have been put in place with power outages and travel disruption likely as the band of freezing weather kicks in.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued Level 2 and Level 3 Cold Weather Alerts for the whole of England.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain has the details:

Revealed: When and where it will snow in the UK this week

Bristol Airport reopens

13:10 , Emily Atkinson

Bristol airport reopened at 10.45am after it temporarily closed for “snow clearing operations” with morning flights cancelled.

The airport has said there is “ongoing flight disruption”, however.

Watch: Animals enjoy snow day at Whipsnade Zoo

12:40 , Emily Atkinson

How to drive in snow and ice

12:10 , Emily Atkinson

The current heavy snow across the UK means drivers are facing icy roads and treacherous conditions.

The gritters are out but motorists are still being advised against making unnecessary journeys and to proceed with extreme caution when setting out proves unavoidable.

Joe Sommerlad has the details:

How to drive in snow and ice

Network Rail advisers passengers to check journeys

11:40 , Emily Atkinson

Network Rail is advising passengers to check their journeys in advance due to the Met Office warnings, but a spokesperson said there has been “no significant weather-related disruption” on the lines so far.

The warnings for Wednesday cover northern and eastern Scotland until 10am, and Northern Ireland and southern England until 9am.

Latest images: Snow covers the M5 carriageway

10:50 , Emily Atkinson

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Kinbrace temperatures further plummet

10:31 , Emily Atkinson

The coldest overnight temperature of the year has dropped a further 0.2 degrees to minus 15.4C, according to the Met Office.

A reading of minus 15.2C was recorded at Kinbrace in the Highlands on Tuesday night, and the temperature in the area has since decreased further, the national forecaster said.

Train travellers warned to expect disruption due to wintry weather

10:06 , Emily Atkinson

Snow and ice is expected to affect train journeys in many parts of Britain until Friday 10 March, National Rail has announced.

Passengers have been advised to check that their complete journey is possible before travel.

At present, Southeastern services are most affected by the adverse weather, with services disrupted on the Hastings, Sole Street, Bromley North, Bromley South, and Hayes lines.

Joanna Whitehead reports:

Train travellers warned to expect disruption due to wintry weather

Bristol airport cancels flights amid Arctic blast

09:45 , Emily Atkinson

Bristol Airport has cancelled all early morning flights today (Wednesday 8 March) due to snow and adverse weather conditions.

A statement on its Twitter account reads: “The Bristol Airport teams are working hard on snow clearing operations, but as the snow continues to fall, flight operations have been suspended until 1100.

“Passengers are advised to contact their airline for specific flight information prior to travelling to the airport and please take extra care.”

Joanna Whitehead has more:

Bristol airport cancels flights amid Arctic blast

09:30 , Emily Atkinson

This morning’s snowfall has been well documented across social media, with footage of snow-capped rooftops and wintry panoramas dominating our feeds.

Here are some of the top posts so far:

Police urge motorists to avoid driving due to ‘very dangerous’ conditions

09:10 , Emily Atkinson

Wilshire Police has urged motors to avoid all but essential journeys after heavy snowfall overnight created “very dangerous” driving conditions.

Posting at 3.30am this morning, police said:

Coldest night of year so far as temperatures drop to -15.2C

09:05 , Emily Atkinson

The UK has braved its coldest night of the year so far, with temperatures dropping below -15C in the Scottish Highlands as snow blanketed parts of London.

Thermometers at Kinbrace in the Highlands gave readings of -15.2C overnight on Tuesday, the Met Office said – the lowest the mercury has dropped all year.

A blast of Arctic air means that sleet and snow is expected across southern England and south Wales on Wednesday, while scattered snow and hail showers will impact Scotland’s northern coasts as the cold snap intensifies.

Andy Gregory has more:

Coldest night of year so far as temperatures drop to -15.2C in UK

Watch: Snow piles across Hampshire as arctic blast hits UK

09:00 , Emily Atkinson

In pictures: Swimmers brave freezing conditions King Edward’s Bay, near Tynemouth

08:50 , Emily Atkinson

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Mapped: Where will snow fall in the UK today

08:40 , Emily Atkinson

More sleet and snow are expected across southern England and south Wales on Wednesday while scattered snow and hail showers will impact Scotland’s northern coasts as the Arctic blast intensifies.

The Met Office‘s early morning radar showed an area of rain moving in from the south and west which was starting to turn increasingly to sleet and snow as it pushed north and east.

The conditions, which have been attributed to an Arctic blast, are expected to bring more snow and ice throughout the UK, the Met Office said.

Thomas Kingsley takes a look at the latest maps:

Mapped: Where will snow fall in the UK today

Best in Snow: Heavy snowfall blankets Britain

08:20 , Emily Atkinson

Snow covered fields surround Alnwick Castle in Northumberland (PA)
Snow covered fields surround Alnwick Castle in Northumberland (PA)
Snow settles on Glastonbury Tor (PA)
Snow settles on Glastonbury Tor (PA)
A woman pulls a child on a sledge through the snow beside the beach huts at Blyth, Northumberland (PA)
A woman pulls a child on a sledge through the snow beside the beach huts at Blyth, Northumberland (PA)
Goathland train station in North Yorkshire blanketed in snow (PA)
Goathland train station in North Yorkshire blanketed in snow (PA)

Rural communities likely to be ‘cut off’ due to weather, says Met Office

08:00 , Emily Atkinson

The Met Office’s chief meteorologist has warned the weather could cut off rural communities in the north and impact travel over the next few days across southern England and south Wales.

A number of national severe warnings for snow and ice were issued, with the Met Office saying further warnings, or updates to the current warnings, are “very likely”.

Matthew Lehnert said: “Snow, ice and low temperatures are the main themes of this week’s forecast, with the UK under an Arctic maritime air mass.

“Snow could lead to some travel disruption, with a chance some rural communities in the north could be cut off.

“The focus for the snow moves to southern England and South Wales tomorrow and some may wake up to a few centimetres of snow, with the south coast and far south-west likely to see a mix of rain and sleet. Further snow and hail showers are also expected along northern coasts, especially in northern Scotland.”

He added: “During the afternoon, a further spell of sleet and snow is likely to develop across southern England and South Wales which could cause travel disruption into the evening. The impact of lying snow and ice on untreated surfaces may have an impact on Thursday morning travel.”

Bristol Airport suspends flights due to ‘adverse weather conditions'

07:30 , Emily Atkinson

Snow spells to continue in Wales, Midlands, East Anglia

06:53 , Vishwam Sankaran

The Met Office has warned that spells of snow will affect parts of Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia and southern England today with snow increasingly likely to turn to rain in the far south later.

While it is expected to be clearer in the north at night, some snow showers are also expexted in the far north, the weather service said.

On Thursday, the rain is expected to spread north and turn to snow over Wales and other parts of England, it noted.

Conditions may worsen over the week and thick snow could cover several areas.

Disruptions due to snow, ice to continue

06:20 , Vishwam Sankaran

Disruptions caused by freezing temperatures, snow and ice across the UK are likely to continue on Wednesday, according to the Met Office.

The weather service had already issued a yellow warning for snow and ice for parts of the Midlands, much of Wales and the southeast, including London as Arctic air sweeps across the UK.

The Met Office has warned that there is a small chance of travel delays and stranding of some vehicles and passengers due to the continued snowfall in parts of England, Ireland and Scotland.