Cars skid off roads after heavy snow and schools close as ice warnings issued
Met Office warns of power cuts and icy patches before snow turns to rain at weekend
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Your support makes all the difference.Cars came off roads and their drivers became stuck after heavy snow caused disruption in Scotland and the north of England.
As temperatures plunged, the Met Office issued two yellow weather warnings on Friday for ice in northwest England, southwest Scotland, central southern England and Wales, lasting until midnight.
Heavy snow fell on the M77 and M74 in Scotland, causing the A66 trans-Pennine route between County Durham and Cumbria to shut for several hours in both directions, with vehicles stranded on the road. One car reportedly went into a ditch.
And after Glasgow woke up covered in snow, several vehicles became stuck on a motorway slip road in the east of the city.
Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said: “It has been a wintry 24 hours across a good chunk of the UK.”
Police in East Dunbartonshire said a number of vehicles had been abandoned because of the snow, and in the Highlands at least two schools closed because roads were impassable for buses.
Gritting lorries were sent out in Ayrshire, and bin collections were cancelled or postponed in many areas of Scotland.
National Highways traffic officers were called to help with traffic management on the A66.
The Met Office warned of further travel disruption, the chance of power cuts and icy patches on roads, making driving dangerous.
But forecasters said the ice should have gone for most by Saturday morning, leaving windy weather with heavy rain likely in most areas.
Mr Snell said: “It will be a very unsettled day to come for some of us through Saturday.
“Sunday is looking drier and brighter, though there will be outbreaks of rain with the northwest of the UK most likely to see that.
“The southeast will be the wettest on Saturday, so there will be a role reversal on Sunday.
“Temperatures will still be chilly, but not anywhere near as cold as it has been.”
The Met Office warned that heavy rain, spray and flooding may cause difficult driving conditions on Saturday.
Additional reporting by PA