Bad weather looks like it’s going snowhere yet
DECEMBRRR DISRUPTION IMPACTING SCHOOLS AND TRAVEL
Wintry showers may also bring some fresh snowfalls... some journey times could take longer Met Office
THE North East faced a day of disruption yesterday after an overnight snowfall and temperatures that stayed below freezing for much of the day.
Flights were cancelled, Metro services were delayed and schools were forced to close due to the winter weather.
A yellow warning for snow and ice issued by the Met Office for the North East is set in place until at least 11am today.
The warning reads: “Ice is expected to form on some surfaces overnight into Tuesday morning.
“Wintry showers may also bring some fresh snowfalls, mostly to higher ground.
“Accumulations of 2-5 cm area possible, again mostly above 100150 m in places in eastern Scotland and eastern England.
“Some roads and railways are likely to be affected with some journey times taking longer.
“There will probably be icy stretches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths with some injuries from slips trips and falls.”
From first thing yesterday morning, Metro commuters faced delays of well over half an hour as 10 trains had to be withdrawn following a series of faults overnight due to the extreme cold.
However by evening rush hour, a Nexus spokesman confirmed that they had an additional six peak-time trains in service after staff at the depot worked throughout the day to get them ready.
There was travel disruption elsewhere as passengers were left stranded at Newcastle Airport due to multiple flight cancellations.
Planes in both directions between Newcastle and Amsterdam, and Newcastle and London Heathrow were affected, with several other flights delayed by up to an hour.
Across the region, schools in Northumberland, Newcastle, County Durham and North Tyneside were forced to close due to heating issues and one burst water pipe.
Vane Road Primary School and East Stanley School in County Durham both said they would be reopening today.