The United Kingdom has recorded its coldest March temperature since 2010. With several regions of the country experiencing snowfall due to the wintry spring conditions.
Overnight in Kinbrace, the temperature in the Highlands dropped to -15.2 degrees Celsius.
A new amber warning for the Peak District and Pennines was issued on Thursday, and rural areas may become inaccessible.
Less severe yellow weather warnings for snow and ice are in effect for parts of the UK until Thursday morning.
The Met Office operates a tiered warning system, with amber being a higher level of risk.
It warns that heavy snow on Thursday could cause “significant disruption.” Including “travel delays on roads, stranding some vehicles and passengers,” and power outages.
Some evening rush hour commuters will face disruption, and the Met Office is warning power cuts are likely.
National Highways has advised motorists in the East and West Midlands not to travel unless it is necessary.
A spokesman for the RAC told that there had been an “increase in breakdowns in a zone stretching from London west along the M4 corridor and into Wales earlier [on Wednesday] morning.”
According to the number of breakdowns, he concluded that many drivers chose to work from home rather than brave the cold.
“Even a small amount of snow and ice can make the roads treacherous. So we advise everyone to proceed with extreme caution,” he added.
ScotRail expects a full programme this week but advises passengers to double-check their travel plans due to delays. National Rail has also issued a warning that snowy and icy conditions may impact south-eastern services in the coming days.
The current warnings are as follows:
- From 15:00 GMT on Thursday until Friday at noon, the Peak District and Pennines are under an Amber Snow Warning.
- A yellow snow and ice warning is in force for parts of Wales and southern and central England until 07:00 on Thursday.
- Snow and ice warning for the Scottish Highlands from this evening at 18:00 until Thursday morning at 10:00
- Another yellow warning for snow and ice in the southeast of Scotland, encompassing the coast from Edinburgh to Newcastle upon Tyne, will be in effect from 17:00 on Wednesday until 07:00 on Thursday.
A yellow warning for just snow is in effect from 07:00 on Thursday to 14:00 on Friday, covering Northern Ireland, sections of Wales, central and northern England, and the central belt of Scotland. Earlier, the snow warning covered a larger area, including central and northeast Scotland.
Many regions of the UK will only experience rain during the day on Wednesday, with heavier snowfall more likely to appear on Thursday across the north of England, north Wales, Northern Ireland, and the majority of Scotland.
In the north of England, the temperature fell to -8C on Wednesday.
Earlier, snowfall at Bristol Airport led to the suspension of flights and the cancellation of several routes.
In the north of Scotland, temperatures will remain below freezing over the course of Wednesday.
In the highlands of Wales, temperatures will remain close to freezing, whereas, in the south of England. They will reach 2C or 3C during the afternoon, which is significantly below average for this time of year.
Due to the snow, more than 100 schools in south Wales are currently closed.
The cold spell is caused by northerly winds from the Arctic.
As the cold weather advances across much of northern England, Northern Ireland, and the majority of Scotland on Thursday, snowfall is expected to increase.
She stated that although snow and cold weather at the beginning of March are not uncommon, “this feels like a bit of a shock to the system after what was for most a mild and relatively dry February.”
“A lot of sleet and showers along the shore and in the far south of England” followed the snowfall.
As evening approaches, that will turn to snow in parts of Wales, the Midlands, and the southern Pennines.
To prepare for the cold spell, two old coal-fired power plants help prevent potential shortfalls.
The facilities in West Burton, Lincolnshire, were scheduled to close in September of 2016, but the government requested that they remain operational for an additional six months out of concern for potential power shortages.
Some ski resorts in Scotland have opened runs following the heavy snowfall, with Snowsport Scotland expressing hope that the recent weather will be “the beginning of another boost for the mountains.”
“Based on the forecast, this could be our busiest week of the year,” said Alison Grove of Snowsport Scotland.
Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands dropped to -7.6C (18F) overnight on Monday. And the hamlet was covered in 12cm (4.7in) of snow – more snow than anywhere else in the UK.
Dozens of schools have already been closed in Scotland due to the ongoing disruption caused by heavy snowfall.
A level three cold alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for all of England.
Dr. Agostinho Sousa, the agency’s head of extreme events and health protection, advised people to check on vulnerable relatives and to heat their homes to at least 18C for seniors and those with underlying health conditions (64F).
