UK weather: ‘Coldest night of season’ forecast as thousands still without power after Storm Arwen
Severe weather disrupts transport and causes power cuts and damage to buildings
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Forecasters have warned of the “coldest night of the season” for parts of the UK, with temperatures dropping to as low as -10C as Storm Arwen left tens of thousands of homes without power and brought widespread snow.
Three people were killed when trees were blown over by strong winds, while buildings were damaged and transport disrupted.
Northern Powergrid, which supplies energy to the northeast, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, said 240,000 customers lost service but on Sunday supply had been restored to 200,000.
Electricity North West, which provides energy for an area between the Scottish border and Stockport, said 67,000 of 83,000 customers who lost power had seen their supply restored.
Heavy snow led to lorries getting stuck and ploughs being used in a number of areas, with pub staff and Oasis tribute band Noasis stranded since Friday in the Tan Hill Inn in the Yorkshire Dales as a result of heavy snowfall.
A man from Lancaster died after a tree fell on him in Ambleside, Cumbria, while another man from Aberdeenshire died after a tree fell and hit his car at around 6pm on Friday.
A third man, Francis Lagan, from Antrim in Northern Ireland, died in the same way on Friday. Tributes were paid to the “renowned educationalist and civic leader”, who was killed when a tree struck his car while travelling along the Dublin Road in County Antrim with his wife and two of their children.
The community in South Derry was said to be “stunned” by the sudden loss of Mr Lagan, who worked as the principal of St Mary’s Primary School in Maghera.
The Met Office has said it expects to see the mercury fall below zero in many parts of the country, including in cities such as London, where it could be -2C in the late hours of Sunday.
It has also issued two yellow ice warnings – one across eastern parts of Scotland, and another stretching from the northeast of England down to the south coast from Sunday afternoon.
The warnings, set to last until Monday morning, say people should expect to see “icy patches” on roads and pavements, meaning accidents and slips and falls are “more likely”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments