Snow falls in London as UK temperatures plummet as low as -8C and commuters face chaos

19 November 2024, 08:09 | Updated: 19 November 2024, 11:21

• LIVE: Commuter chaos as snow cancels trains and disrupts traffic- with more to come

Snowy conditions described as "the first taste of winter" have caused train cancellations and road delays in parts of the UK after severe weather warnings were issued.

The Met Office put three yellow warnings for snow and ice in place in the North, the Midlands, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland - advising that vehicles could be stranded, power cuts may occur and rural areas could be cut off.

The yellow warning for England has been issued until 11am and the warning for Scotland will remain in place until 10am on Wednesday.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued the first amber cold weather health alert of the season, warning conditions could be dangerous for vulnerable people, including the elderly.

The amber warning covers the east and north of England, the Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber, with yellow alerts coming into place for the South East, South West and London at 8am on Tuesday, lasting until 6pm on Saturday.

National Rail warned the cold climate would affect various routes on northern train services until at least 2pm on Tuesday.

The Met Office said: "A period of rain, sleet and snow will occur during Monday night and into Tuesday morning.

"The most likely scenario is for most of the snow to accumulate on hills, with 5 to 10 cm possible above 200 metres and perhaps as much as 15 to 20 cm above 300 metres. There is a chance of snow settling at lower levels, where 5 to 10 cm would prove much more disruptive - this remains uncertain, but seems most likely across parts of Derbyshire.

"As rain, sleet and snow clears from the north of the warning area by early Tuesday morning, ice may form on untreated surfaces."

Read more: Full list of school closures today as UK snow forces classrooms to shut doors

Read more: Exact date 'disruptive' snow and ice to hit parts of the UK as Met Office issues weather warnings

Road closures

In Derbyshire, The Snake Pass and the Woodhead Pass are both closed.

The A537 Cat and Fiddle Road is closed between Macclesfield and Buxton.

The Woodhead Road is closed between Crowden and Holmfirth in West Yorkshire.

In Greater Manchester, the A628 is closed both ways at Hollingworth.

In Edinburgh, there are queues on the M90 Southbound to the M9 Junction after an accident.

Also because of the snow, departures at East Midlands, Birmingham and Luton Airports are delayed by about an hour.

A bus has overturned on the A952 in Aberdeenshire.

Rail closures

Thousands of train passengers are suffering disruption due to severe weather.

By 11am on Tuesday, some 64 out of a total of 120 services (53%) planned by East Midlands Railway were cancelled or delayed by at least half an hour, according to the trains.

Figures for other operators include London North Eastern Railway (37%), Transport for Wales (13%), West Midlands Trains (13%) and CrossCountry (12%).

No trains are running between Sheffield and Manchester Piccadilly.

Northern services aren't running between Halifax and Huddersfield.

And East Midlands Trains can't run between Nottingham and Worksop.

Southern services are suspended between Uckfield and Crowborough.

What should I expect?

• Possible travel delays on roads stranding some vehicles and passengers
• Possible delays or cancellations to rail and air travel
• A chance of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces
• Power cuts may occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected
• Some rural communities could become cut off
• Bus and train services may be delayed or cancelled, with some road closures and longer journey times possible

Dr Agostinho Sousa, from the UKHSA, said: "This is the first amber Cold Weather Health Alert of the season, but we can expect more as we approach winter, and it is vital to check in on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours to ensure they are well prepared for the onset of cold weather.

"Particularly if they are elderly or otherwise at increased risk."

'Particularly challenging'

The Alzheimer's Society warned that cold weather can be "particularly challenging" for people with dementia.

"Colder temperatures can be difficult for a person with dementia to adjust to, and they may not always be able to communicate that they are cold - or they may not even recognise it themselves," the charity said.

It advised the public to check in on loved ones, friends and neighbours living with the condition.

Another charity Asthma + Lung UK urged those living with lung conditions to be "extra careful".

The charity warned that cold weather can trigger potentially life-threatening asthma attacks or "flare-ups" for people with other lung conditions.

Erika Radford, head of health advice at Asthma + Lung UK, said: "Your risk of ending up in A&E doubles in winter if you have a lung condition.

"We're here to help you to stay well, however every day people with lung conditions are needlessly suffering and without urgent action more lives will be put at risk."

The Met Office has offered advice on what to do:

Snowy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous, so to keep yourself and others safe: plan your route, checking for delays and road closures, amending your travel plans if necessary; if driving, leave more time to prepare and check your car before setting off; make sure you have essentials packed in your car in the event of any delays (warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, ice scraper/de-icer, a warning triangle, high visibility vest and an in-car phone charger).

People cope better when they have prepared in advance for the risk of power cuts or being cut off from services and amenities due to the snow. It’s easy to do; consider gathering torches and batteries, a mobile phone power pack and other essential items.

Be prepared for weather warnings to change quickly: when a weather warning is issued, the Met Office recommends staying up to date with the weather forecast in your area.

A cold and windy week

The Met Office said: As that front clears on Tuesday, it leaves us with cold northerly winds, and things turn much colder for all areas across the UK for the rest of the week.

Daytime temperatures will be in the low single figures for most, potentially slightly less cold in the far south, though sub-zero wind chill is likely.

Despite the cold temperatures, there will be a good deal of sunshine away from the wintry showers near the coasts.

Further snow accumulations are expected across the week, mostly by night at low levels, in northern Scotland and exposed parts elsewhere.

There remains a small possibility of a more organised band of rain or snow affecting the far south west through Thursday as a larger system runs into the continent, though most models suggest this keeping to the English Channel.