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UK snow: Severe weather sweeps across country | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A blast of freezing weather is sweeping across the UK, bringing disruption as commuters try to get home. | |
Large parts of the UK have already been hit by heavy snow, which has now to started to affect southern areas, with warnings over snow and ice during this evening's rush hour. | |
The army is helping evacuate thousands of people from England's east coast, where a tidal surge is expected. | |
Earlier, flights were pre-emptively cancelled at Heathrow and Gatwick. | |
Latest updates on winter weather | Latest updates on winter weather |
Click here to see your pictures of snow | Click here to see your pictures of snow |
Gatwick Airport said route restrictions had been put in place by air traffic control which might cause delays and cancellations to flights and advised passengers to check before travelling. | |
Heathrow Airport said its cancellations had been necessary so that flights could be rescheduled if the weather caused delays. | |
Other airports, including Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast International and Belfast City airports are operating as normal. | |
The Environment Agency has issued three severe flood warnings, meaning there is a danger to life, and more than 40 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, along the east coast of England. There are also more than 60 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible. | |
More than 3,000 residents on the Lincolnshire coast have been advised to leave with areas of Jaywick, Mistley Manningtree, Colchester, and Mersea in Essex also being evacuated amid flooding fears. | |
Essex County Council said its "main concern" was the tide at 13:00 on Friday. | |
Have you been affected by the weather conditions? Share your pictures and video with us at: yourpics@bbc.co.uk | |
Around the country | Around the country |
For the latest on the roads visit the BBC's travel news page and keep up to date with incidents on the motorways here. | For the latest on the roads visit the BBC's travel news page and keep up to date with incidents on the motorways here. |
Other links | Other links |
Heavy snow hit parts of Northern Ireland earlier, with Coleraine and Ballymena among the towns worst affected and a snow and ice have caused disruption to travel networks and prompted school closures in parts of Scotland. | |
The tidal surge is expected down the east coast of England, where it is thought waves could overtop the flood defences and combine with wind-blown spray to cause localised flooding. | |
In Lincolnshire, about 100 soldiers are helping to prepare for the surge and the county's Chief Constable, Neil Rhodes, said evacuation plans had been drawn up. | |
BBC Weather's Thomasz Schafernaker said the snow had so far mainly hit more northern areas of the UK - with snow showers there set to continue. | BBC Weather's Thomasz Schafernaker said the snow had so far mainly hit more northern areas of the UK - with snow showers there set to continue. |
But he said rain would eventually start to turn to snow further south, particularly across the Midlands, parts of East Anglia and the South East. | But he said rain would eventually start to turn to snow further south, particularly across the Midlands, parts of East Anglia and the South East. |
"Then we are going to seeing clearing skies through this evening so some of the slushy weather we will get will start to freeze - so really nasty conditions on the way." | "Then we are going to seeing clearing skies through this evening so some of the slushy weather we will get will start to freeze - so really nasty conditions on the way." |
The Local Government Association said councils in England and Wales were well-prepared for the low temperatures and snow. | The Local Government Association said councils in England and Wales were well-prepared for the low temperatures and snow. |
It said about half of local authorities had full stocks of grit, having stored up 1.2 million tonnes of salt to prepare for winter. | It said about half of local authorities had full stocks of grit, having stored up 1.2 million tonnes of salt to prepare for winter. |
Have you been affected by the weather conditions? Tell us your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Have you been affected by the weather conditions? Tell us your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
You can also contact us in the following ways: | You can also contact us in the following ways: |
Or use the form below | Or use the form below |