Yellow weather warning for snow and ice remains in place across much of UK
Yellow warnings remain in place for snow and ice across most western parts of the UK, Wales, Northern Ireland and the north of Scotland.
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Your support makes all the difference.A major incident has been declared in Somerset due to the risk of flooding, while yellow weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued across the UK.
The lowest temperature recorded last night in the UK was minus 7.1C in Benson, Oxfordshire.
A level three cold weather alert issued by the UK Health Security agency is in place until 9am on Friday January 20.
At Loch Glascarnoch near Garve in the Highlands, 34cm of snow fell overnight, making this the highest recorded snowfall in the UK that night, the Met Office said.
Heavy snowfall was reported across the north of Scotland and parts of Wales, and south-west England saw showers of rain, sleet, snow and hail on Wednesday morning, making driving conditions difficult.
Dozens of schools in Northern Ireland have remained closed as a result of heavy snow.
Yellow weather warnings will be in place across most western parts of the UK, Wales and the north of Scotland until 12pm on Thursday.
The warning for the south coast of England is due to be lifted at 12pm on Wednesday.
A major incident was declared in Somerset due to the risk of flooding across the county. Enhanced pumping began on Tuesday evening at Northmoor to reduce the amount of water being stored until river levels allow pumping to resume at Currymoor, which remains full.
The decision to declare a major incident is precautionary, public agencies say, so that they can be ready to take action if the situation worsens.
Members of the public have been warned to expect longer journey times by road, bus and train as well as some disruption due to the risk of ice and snow.
Some rail routes across England and Wales were disrupted on Wednesday. The Gatwick Express between London Victoria and Brighton; Southern between London Victoria and Littlehampton and Thameslink between Bedford / Cambridge and Brighton have been affected by delays and cancellations due to flooding between Haywards Heath and Brighton.
Merseyrail services have reported widespread disruption as a result of the cold weather.
A points failure has resulted in no trains between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton/Barnstaple.
In Scotland, Aberdeenshire Council said the impact of the weather on Tuesday was not as severe as feared.
More than 100 schools and nurseries closed on Tuesday in the region, but three schools in the area remained closed on Wednesday, with delays to start times and transport delays and cancellations expected in some areas.
Snow gates on the A939 Lecht and A93 Braemar-Glenshee remain closed, and a significant pothole has caused damage to cars on the A90 trunk road near Hatton.
Members of the public have been reminded to check conditions before they travel.
Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “Cold air is continuing to push across the UK from the north and many areas have seen some snow, wintry conditions, and overnight frosts.
“National Severe Weather Warnings have been issued across parts of western England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland with more warnings likely to be issued over the coming days.”
David Renard, transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said: “As temperatures start to plummet once again, councils are ready to work around the clock to grit roads and pavements to make sure that people are kept safe and local communities can get out and about.
“Councils have stockpiled 1.4 million tonnes of salt and are using new and innovative technologies where they can to ensure those areas that are most treacherous are kept clear and safe for use.
“During these cold spells, it is those who may be elderly or who have a respiratory disease who are at more at risk of ill health and are in need of more support. As some people may choose to limit their heating use due to the impact of rising energy bills and so councils are again people to check up on those that may need more help. It could help save lives.”
Erika Radford, Head of Health Advice at Asthma + Lung UK said: “We know that plummeting temperatures can be a real worry for people with lung conditions because it can trigger potentially life-threatening asthma attacks and cause other lung conditions to get significantly worse.
“Where possible, we would advise people with a lung condition to heat their home to at least 18C in the cold weather, although we realise this will be a challenge for many this winter.
“There are other steps that people can take to protect their lungs during a cold snap. For instance, it is better to wear several layers of clothes rather than one bulky layer as these trap heat next to the body more effectively; it is also important to have plenty of hot drinks and at least one hot meal a day.
“It’s crucial that people stay warm to avoid emergency hospital admissions and severe respiratory infections.
“As viral infections can also make your lung condition worse, it’s best to avoid contact with people who have flu or a cold if you have a lung condition, and it’s important that you continue to take daily medication as prescribed. For more advice on how to keep well in the cold visit Asthma + Lung UK.”