UK weather live: More snow to hit Britain this evening as police search for missing teenager in freezing cold
More snow is forecast across Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and northern England overnight
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Your support makes all the difference.The UK is braced for more snow this evening and overnight as the Met Office warned of further travel chaos across the country.
Up to 20cm of snow is set to fall in some parts of Wales, northern England, Northern Ireland and Scotland with icy conditions expected across the country.
It comes as a 16-year-old boy vanished in freezing conditions on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, where helicopters and police are frantically searching for him.
Aleksandr Benga was last seen wearing a jumper and jeans at around 8.45am on Monday near the water wheel in the grounds of Lews Castle.
On Tuesday, motorists faced disruption and train services were cancelled with more than 200 schools forced to close on Tuesday.
National Highways warned of snow disruption for the North east and North west - with 10-15cm of snow expected to fall on some motorways.
Meanwhile, National Rail warned the cold climate would impact various routes on the Northern Rail throughout the afternoon.
At least 141 schools had shut down in Wales, 50 in the West Midlands, 11 in Scotland and 19 in Derbyshire, according to local authorities.
Where are this week’s weather warnings?
Several warnings for snow and ice across the UK are in place for Tuesday and Wednesday, with the possibility of stranded vehicles and power cuts.
A yellow snow and ice warning is in place for much of south Wales between 12pm and 12 midnight on Tuesday.
A yellow ice warning was issued for much of southern England and the Midlands between 5pm on Tuesday and 10am on Wednesday.
A yellow snow and ice warning is also in place for much of the east coast between 6pm Tuesday and 10am Wednesday, stretching down from Northumberland to Norwich.
Northern Ireland is also braced for risky snow and ice conditions between 6pm Tuesday and 10am Wednesday.
The north of Scotland also has a snow and ice warning in place between 4pm on Tuesday and 10am Wednesday.
Boy, 16, missing on freezing remote Scottish island
A 16-year-old boy has vanished in freezing conditions on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, where helicopters and police are frantically searching for him.
Aleksandr Benga was last seen wearing a jumper and jeans at around 8.45am on Monday near the water wheel in the grounds of Lews Castle.
Stornoway coastguard helicopter, a local coastguard team, and RNLI’s Stornoway lifeboat are also involved in the search for him.
Police sergeant Liam Coleman said: “We are growing increasingly worried for the welfare of Aleksandr and would ask if anyone knows where he is to contact us.
“Anyone with any information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 0803 of Monday, November 18, 2024.”
Why do schools close in the snow?
Schools are only allowed to close in “exceptional circumstances”, says the Department for Education - but it is the headteacher who makes the decision.
The head considers how safe the journey to school is, as well as the safety of the site itself. Staff often travel much further than pupils, and in all directions, so the area considered is larger than some parents might think.
Even if the snow seems safe in the morning, schools can close if conditions are forecast to get much worse.
Tips for driving in icy conditions
It is safer not to drive in heavy snow and icy conditions but if you absolutely must drive, keep yourself and others safe by:
- Using dipped headlights
- Accelerate gently, use low revs and change to higher gears as quickly as possible
- Starting in second gear will help with wheel slip
- Maintain a safe and steady speed. Keep your distance from other vehicles
- Keep a constant speed up hills. Leave plenty of room between cars
- Use a low gear to go down hill and try to avoid braking unless necessary
- Steer into skids. Do not take your hands of the wheel or slam on the brakes
Winter hazards likely throughout week, Met Office warns
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Neil Armstrong said: “With cold Arctic air firmly in place over the UK, continued winter hazards are likely through much of this week, with further updates to warnings likely in the coming days.
“The current focus for upcoming snow and ice risk is from later on Tuesday and overnight into Wednesday, with snow showers likely moving in off windward coasts in the north and east, as well as drifting into parts of Northern Ireland and Wales.
“In excess of 10cm of snow is possible over higher ground within the warning areas, with 1-2cm possibly settling at lower levels, which has the potential to lead to some travel disruption. Ice is an additional hazard and is likely to form quickly on untreated surfaces.”
Pictured: Aerial views of snow-covered towns and villages
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