Britain’s big freeze looks set to last well into March – as the mercury plunged below freezing overnight and snow showers cover parts of the UK this morning.
Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice are in place for the South East and western areas of England, Wales and Scotland, as well as all of Northern Ireland, as the deep freeze continues.
Temperatures fell to -9.1C in Shap, Cumbria, shortly before dawn as many woke up to the coldest morning of the week, the Met Office said.
Emergency services warned of treacherous conditions on roads, with South Western Ambulance Service reporting several accidents due to ice and Northumbria Police attending a three-car crash in Gateshead, where the roads were ‘extremely icy’.
Brothers Trystan Thomas and Ryan Thomas throw snow at each other outside their home in Llangynog, Carmarthenshire, this morning. Snow showers have settled across parts of the UK as the mercury continued to plunge below freezing overnight
The brothers clear snow from a car outside their home. The Met Office says the cold weather could last into March
Residents show off their -9 degrees in Appleby, Cumbria, this morning. Temperatures fell to -9.1C in Shap, Cumbria, shortly before dawn as many woke up to the coldest morning of the week, the Met Office said
The Met Office chief forecaster said some heavier bursts of sleet and snow were possible in Norfolk and Suffolk, where between 1 to 4cm of snow could fall, while other areas could see around 1cm of snow but ice ‘may be the more widespread hazard’.
The Met Office tweeted: ‘For many Wednesday morning will be the coldest of the week, with a hard frost, ice and some snow. Scrapers at the ready!
‘Snow showers in the southeast easing through afternoon. A few wintry showers possible in west Wales and Cornwall. Cloudier across Scotland and Northern Ireland with rain, sleet and snow edging southeastwards.’
Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said the cold weather could last into March.
Snowy Appleby in Cumbria: Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice are in place for the South East and western areas of England, Wales and Scotland, as well as all of Northern Ireland, as the deep freeze continues
He said: ‘Really much of February and perhaps even into March it is going to stay on the cold side, so temperatures generally below average, with further frosts and also the risk of rain, sleet and snow as well.’
Schools were closed and two of the West Country’s main roads were at a standstill this morning as snow and ice caused chaos.
Traffic jams miles long built up as drivers found the A39 and the A389 in Cornwall closed following a series of crashes. Meanwhile another incident forced the closure of the A38 in Plymouth, leading to traffic queuing back to the Tamar Bridge.
Police described road conditions as ‘treacherous’ and urged people to avoid travelling unless it was essential.
Another road in Cornwall – the B293 near Helston – was closed a short time ago after police said a string of vehicles had broken down or could not drive up snow-covered hilly sections.
In Cornwall, people woke to a blanket a snow and freezing temperatures. Hundreds of children have the day off – Brannel School in St Stephen, St Dennis Primary Academy, North Cornwall APA and Mullion Primary School will be shut all day, because of dangerous conditions on the roads.
One crash has closed the A389 between Bodmin and Wadebridge, and the B3266 was hit by a string of accidents.
Another smash closed the A39 between Arch Hill at Truro and Carnon Downs roundabout.
Police superintendent Ian Drummond-Smith tweeted ‘Thirteeen road traffic collisions across Cornwall right now. Ice & hail….take care folks.’
Meanwhile heavy snowfall across the Scottish mountains has sparked warnings to be aware of deadly avalanches.
A walker is still missing on Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest mountain. He is believed to be buried under avalanche debris.
The man fell through a cornice, an overhanging ledge of snow, into Observatory Gully below on January 21.
Rescuers were able reach two other men who were with him, but bad weather and avalanches on the day and since have limited searches for the missing man.
Members of Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team have been checking Observatory Gully whenever conditions have allowed.
Lochaber MRT said some of the ice blocks involved were the size of household fridges, and in some places the debris was of a depth of up 15m (49ft).
The Scottish Avalanche Information Service has raised the alert in parts of Scotland to ‘Considerable’ as the winter blast grips the region. It raised the avalanche danger to ‘Considerable’ across Glencoe, the Northern Cairngorms, Torridon, Lochaber and Creag Meagaigh.
The Met Office has also warned gales will be strong enough to knock climbers over with a risk of blizzards over high ground. Hikers and climbers have been warned to wrap up against ‘severe and debilitating’ cold as temperatures fall low enough to cause frostbite and hypothermia.
An avalanche service spokesman said: ‘Fresh unstable windslab will be deposited in wind sheltered areas, with greatest accumulations above 800 metres. Newly formed cornices will be fragile and prone to collapse.
‘The avalanche hazard will be considerable.’
Government forecasters have issued a ‘high likelihood severe windchill’ warning for the North Grampian region over the next few days.
Temperatures could sink to -10C (14F) over snowfields with bitter gales making it feel closer to -20C (-4F) in some parts.
And two skiers missing overnight in the Cairngorms were found by rescuers today.
The operation first began on Tuesday night when the pair, who were ski touring, failed to return from a trip above the CairnGorm Mountain ski resort. Mountain rescue teams were joined by RAF personnel and the Inverness coastguard helicopter.
The overnight search was suspended in the early hours but resumed at 6am today. Cairngorm, Braemar and RAF Lossiemouth mountain rescue teams were involved, with efforts focused on the plateau area.
The pair were located ‘safe and well,’ said Cairngorm MRT by the Inverness-based Coastguard search and rescue helicopter. They were taken to the mountain rescue team’s base.