BRRRACE Up to 12in of snow and gales due
UP to 12 inches of snow and lashings of chaos were forecast today in what the Met Office described as the “Big One”.
The flurry on the coldest day of winter could cause travel disruption across England and Wales, spreading a carpet from Manchester to London.
Some smaller towns and villages could be cut off – with people in the worst-hit areas being warned to stay indoors and only venture out if necessary.
Temperatures have plummeted with most of the Midlands and North not getting above freezing.
Areas in the South, including London, will be slightly warmer but they face 50mph gale-force winds – rising to 70mph on the coast.
Gritters were out last night in high-risk areas but councils warned that only motorways and main roads could be treated because of the size of the expected fall. The Met Office said: “It’s the Big One. There will be a lot of snow across the middle of the country.
“Major cities in the affected band will see snow from around 5am this morning and it will not go away in a hurry.
“There could be up to eight inches but that will be falling on some areas such as Shropshire which had heavy falls yesterday.
“We also face freezing temperatures tonight, which could cause further disruption to commuters tomorrow morning with frost and black ice very likely.
“Road, rail and air travel delays are likely, as well as stranding of vehicles and public transport cancellations. There is a good chance some rural communities could become cut off.”
The Local Government Association said councils had an estimated 2,000 gritters on standby to tackle the freeze.
Warnings
And the Ministry of Defence has said the Armed Forces “stand ready to provide assistance if needed”. A spokesman said requests for assistance can be made to the department “and we would see what help we can provide”.
The bad weather comes in the wake of Storm Caroline, which has dragged cold air across from Scandanavia.
Many areas including London are likely to experience temperatures of -3C over- night but rural areas further north could hit -8C – while Scotland plunges to -14C on remote fields. Police yesterday re-issued warnings for drivers to be aware of the conditions after the RAC said journeys should only be made if absolutely necessary.
There were also fears the weather could affect sporting fixtures today, particularly the big derby football games between Man United and Man City, and Liverpool and Everton. Both clubs warned fans to set out early because of the expected conditions.
Bury’s clash at home to AFC Wimbledon was postponed yesterday due to “persistent snow” and Accrington’s League Two game at home to Swindon