Big freeze alert from the -10C Arctic blast
AFTER a wet and mild start to January, the first proper cold snap of the year will bite this week.
Overnight snow is expected to cause travel disruption as far south as London today, while night-time temperatures will plummet as low as -10C (14F).
And swollen rivers from last week’s incessant rain continue to threaten further chaos, with floodwater covering low-lying areas of cities including Worcester and York.
But the return of more seasonal conditions may come as a relief to some of the country’s wildlife, notably a colony of seals which has produced almost 4,000 pups along one short stretch of Norfolk coastline – a record.
Met Office forecasters have issued a yellow warning for ice for the northern half of England and Wales plus Northern Ireland up until 10am today. It predicts that ‘wintry showers’ will lead to ‘difficult driving conditions’ due
‘Snow and ice across the UK’
to slippery surfaces. In addition, a second yellow warning for up to 2in of snow across higher parts of London and the South East was in place in the early hours, lasting until 8am today.
People travelling in the areas are urged to take care as there may be some icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
Roads and railways are likely to be affected, with longer journey times particularly during the morning rush hour, with airports on standby for delays.
‘We are starting to see the cold weather coming in from the Arctic, so we have now started to issue warnings for snow and ice across the UK,’ Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said.
Even close to the south coast, temperatures will struggle to rise much above single figures over the first part of the week.
However, forecasters do not expect the wintry weather to last as long as last month’s cold snap, with milder weather returning for next weekend.
Despite largely dry, bright conditions, flooding remains a real threat, particularly in the West Midlands and South West after more than 3in of rain fell in barely 12 hours.
Flood defences have also been deployed in York city centre with rescue workers seen using a boat after the River Ouse burst its banks. Almost 100 flood warnings were in place across England last night, but engineers predicted river levels would start to drop as the rainy spell came to an end.