UK weather live: Met Office extends snow and ice warning as Britons set for power cuts and travel chaos
Met Office warns of disruption across southern England, the Midlands and eastern Wales
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Your support makes all the difference.Commuters across the UK could face more travel chaos this morning as the Met Office warned of snowy and icy conditions across the country.
A yellow ice warning covering southern England, the Midlands and eastern Wales remains in effect until 10am today, with the forecaster advising vehicles could be stranded and power cuts widespread.
The forecaster also extended a yellow snow and ice warning across northern Scotland between 10am Wednesday and 12pm Thursday.
Snow showers, some accompanied by lightning, began last night and are expected to carry on through the morning.
Snow may exceed 10cm over higher ground, with up to 20cm predicted in mountainous areas of Scotland by the end of the week.
“This will feel like the first taste of winter for many, with the snow and ice risks layered on top,” Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said.
On Tuesday, the cold weather led to closure of over 140 schools mid, north-east, and south-east Wales, affecting areas such as Wrexham, Powys, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Torfaen, and Blaenau Gwent.
Weather warning updated
A yellow weather warning for snow and ice in Wales has been updated.
The alert, issued earlier today, was originally due to be in place from midnight tonight until midday on Wednesday.
It will now be in place until 10am.
New weather warning issued
Yet another weather warning for snow and ice has been issued by the Met Office.
The forecasters have warned residents in west Scotland that they could see showers bringing up to 5cm of snow accompanied by lightning.
The yellow warning is due to come into place at 7pm and will remain in place until 10am on Wednesday.
The alert reads: “Snow and ice may lead to difficult travelling conditions on Tuesday evening, overnight and during Wednesday morning.
Cold weather payments triggered
The first cold weather payments of 2024 have been triggered as snow blankets neighbourhoods across the UK and temperatures plunge.
To help support people during cold snaps like these, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) runs the cold weather payment scheme for qualifying households.
This is a one-off payment of £25 that is triggered for every seven-day period where the temperature in your area is at or below zero degrees.
An estimated 10,000 people across 18 postcode areas can now expect the payment in the coming weeks.
You are eligible for the payment if you receive Pension Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit or Support for Mortgage Interest
You must also live in an area that has experienced seven days of zero or sub-zero temperatures. If you want to check if your postcode is in a qualifying area, the government has a handy tool.
Winter breakdowns up by more than a fifth in four years
The number of winter breakdowns recorded on motorways and major A roads in England has risen by 22% in four years, sparking concerns over gritters being blocked.
National Highways said it recorded 68,893 breakdowns on its network between November 2023 and January 2024.
There were 56,517 during the same period in 2019/20.
Over the past five winters, the most common reasons for breakdowns have been tyre issues (19% of incidents) and loss of power (8% of incidents).
National Highways warned that in snowy and icy conditions, lorries can struggle to drive up steep inclines and become stranded, resulting in road blockages which prevent gritters from spreading salt.
A survey of 2,000 adults in England commissioned by the Government-owned company suggested that many drivers embark on winter journeys without being fully prepared. It indicated only 34% travel with a supply of water, just 10% have emergency food and only 21% have a fully-charged mobile phone.
Bus topples in icy conditions
A Stagecoach bus in Aberdeenshire toppled onto its side with a passenger on board in icy conditions on Tuesday morning in the New Leeds area.
A spokesperson for Stagecoach North Scotland said: “We can confirm that one of our vehicles operating on service X67 has been involved in an incident at New Leeds this morning due to ice on the road.
“One passenger was on board, and there were no injuries.”
New weather warning issued in England
The Met Office has issued an update to its weather warnings.
The forecaster issued a fresh snow and ice warning for much of southern England and the Midlands between 5pm on Tuesday and 10am on Tuesday.
Full list of where snow is expected to fall
Here is a full list of all of the places snow is expected to fall in the next 36 hours:
Northern Ireland
- All counties
Wales
- Merthyr Tydfil County
- Blaenau Gwent
- Caerphilly
- Swansea
- Carmarthenshire
- Ceredigion
- Monmouthshire
- Neath Port Talbot
- Powys
- Torfaen
England
- Shropshire
- Herefordshire
- Lincolnshire
- Norfolk
- Suffolk
- County Durham
- Tyne and Wear
- Northumberland
- Redcar & Cleveland
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- North Yorkshire
- North Lincolnshire
- North East Lincolnshire
Scotland
- Scottish Borders
- Fife
- Orkney Islands
- Shetland
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.
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