UK weather live: Snow warning for London as UK braces for temperatures to plummet to -20C
The warning for snow comes amid continued weather disruption at airports and schools across the UK
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Your support makes all the difference.A weather warning for snow has been issued for London as the UK is set to see temperatures plunge to as low as -20C this week.
The Met Office has said up to two inches of snow could fall in the south of England on Wednesday, including the capital.
Weather warnings for snow and ice are also in place in Northern Ireland and western and northern Scotland until noon on Wednesday.
The cold snap is set to continue until the end of this week, with amber health alerts from the UK Health Security Agency in place across England until midday on Sunday.
The bad weather has continued to cause travel chaos on Tuesday, with Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Aberdeen Airport both closed in the morning due to the snow.
And there are still hundreds of flood alerts and warnings across the country thanks to rain and melting snow. As of Tuesday lunchtime, the Environment Agency had one danger-to-life flood warning, 133 flood warnings and 217 flood alerts in place across England.
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Potential for more snow in the south on Wednesday
There is the potential for another frontal system to move in from the southwest on Wednesday, bringing further snow and ice. A Yellow Warning is currently in place to cover this.
Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Mike Silverstone, explained: “There is a chance of a further spell of rain, sleet and snow moving in from the southwest on Wednesday to affect some southern parts of the UK.”
“Whilst not all those in the warning area may be affected, it is possible that that 2-5 cm of snow may accumulate fairly widely. Whether this system will brush the south of the UK or miss us altogether still remains a little uncertain, but we’ll continue to assess this over the next day or two. Weather warnings may well be updated, so it’s important people stay up to date with the forecast.”
Floods minister thanks emergency services as 300 properties flooded
At least 300 properties have flooded and 41,000 have been bolstered by flood protections across England since New Year’s Eve, according to estimates by the Environment Agency.
Snowmelt has brought further disruption to parts of England, particularly in the Midlands, following the heavy rainfall over the New Year. It saw significant river and surface water flooding across the North West of England and Yorkshire, the Environment Agency said.
Floods minister Emma Hardy said: “My sympathies go out to the people, businesses and communities impacted by the recent flooding across the country.
“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe. People must continue to follow their advice and sign up for flood warnings.”
UK to experience coldest nights of the year
The coldest nights of the year are expected this week, with temperatures potentially reaching -14C tonight in the North East of England and Scotland.
The Met Office has forecast a further drop of 2C tomorrow, with temperatures expected to plunge to -16C in places.
Southern England braced for snow as wintry spell continues
A fresh weather warning is set to come into force as it is revealed that 300 properties have flooded across England since New Year’s Eve.
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow covering southern counties of England from 9am until midnight, which could prove disruptive.
Between two and five centimetres of snow could accumulate fairly widely and as much as 10cm over higher ground, with the warning stretching as far as south London.
Weather warnings issued on Tuesday for snow and ice covering the Midlands, parts of North Wales, the North West of England, west and northern parts of Scotland as well as Northern Ireland remain in place until midday.
Some roads and railways are likely to be affected, and there could be icy patches on untreated roads, the forecaster said.
Environment Agency urge people to remain vigilant over the next few days
Stefan Laeger, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “The recent heavy rain combined with melting snow means it is probable significant river flooding will continue in Leicestershire, with minor river flooding probable in some other parts of the country, continuing through to Thursday for some larger rivers.
“Environment Agency teams continue to be out on the ground, operating flood defences, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding, issuing flood warnings and supporting those communities affected.
“We urge people to remain vigilant over the next few days and advise anyone travelling to be especially careful, and urge people to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through floodwater as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.”
Caravan owner mourns damage as floodwaters rise
Neil Monteith, 49, owns a caravan on the front row of the Proctors Pleasure Park, near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire, which was surrounded by flood water on Tuesday morning.
He said he no longer lives in the caravan but has “never seen” the flooding this bad before.
He said: “(The water) is the highest I’ve seen it, I’ve never seen it this bad before.”
Mr Monteith added that he only keeps furniture inside but said that it is “more than likely” damaged.
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Flooding has been ‘challenging’, Leicestershire fire chief says
Judi Beresford, Leicestershire’s assistant chief fire and rescue officer, said the demand on the service from flooding across the county has been “challenging”.
She said: “The pressure that we experienced yesterday from about five o’clock in the morning and well into the early hours of this morning was significant.
“It was very challenging but I’m really pleased to say that our crews handled themselves and the situation magnificently.
“The latest information that we have is that the water is still continuing to rise, particularly in relation to the rivers, but we would expect that to start to ease.
“Just because the weather is showing some signs of improvement at the moment, floodwater can still be incredibly dangerous, so I’d still just reinforce our messages to stay out of floodwater, to plan journeys ahead, and if people do need assistance and life is at risk, then please dial 999.”
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service has responded to 380 calls and attended 56 flooding incidents since Monday morning.
Full report: Homeowners trapped inside while ‘still recovering’ from flood a year ago
Homeowners trapped inside while ‘still recovering’ from flood a year ago
A major incident was declared in Leicestershire on Monday after rain and snow brought severe flooding.
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