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Met Office issues red weather warning as snow disrupts Britain – live updates UK weather: schools in Wales to stay closed amid red warning for Scotland – live updates
(about 8 hours later)
Ireland’s National Emergency Coordination Committee has urged the public red weather warning zones in the south and east of the country, to make sure they are at home by 4pm tomorrow. Scotland’s transport minister Humza Yousaf has said he will be holding talks with a number of employers after people were left stranded in snow while travelling for work.
Some of the country is already under a red warning alert but the conditions are expected to deteriorate further tomorrow as Storm Emma arrives from the south-west. Motorists have been facing disruption on many routes as extreme weather hit large parts of the country, while those on the M80 have been at a standstill for a number of hours.
Sean Hogan, the national director has warned that the blizzard conditions expected in the south and east of Ireland have not been seen since 1982. People had been told to avoid travelling after the warnings for heavy snow and ice were issued – including the highest level red alert in central parts of Scotland.
“Our main concern at national level remains Thursday night into Friday,” he said with Storm Emma bringing heavy snowfalls starting at 4pm Thursday afternoon, spreading up from the south Speaking to Reporting Scotland, Yousaf said:
With winds up to 100k, conditions will be hazardous for all travel. Some employers have been extremely flexible, but clearly some haven’t.
All schools and colleges and centres of further education in the red weather warning zone will be closed Thursday and Friday, the government has announced. There will be some conversations I’ll be having after this weather event because I have seen HGVs that are carrying home furniture, stationery and piping.
“People should not venture out of doors,” said Hogan during the red weather alert. Now, I’m not convinced that that is all necessary and many of the incidents we’ve seen have involved a loss of traction from HGVs.
Dublin is expected to be in near lockdown. The south-west of England and Wales will be hit by blizzards on Thursday and Friday, the Met Office has warned.
Status Red Snow-ice Warning for Munster and LeinsterValid from Thursday 01 March 16:00 to Friday 02 March 12:00please see https://t.co/9BeK3UcAwO pic.twitter.com/WpahT6mfM1 A storm system – named Storm Emma by the Portuguese met service – will collide with the cold air already over the UK.
The Met Office has issued a rare red warning urging the public to take action against heavy snow forecast over central Scotland from 3pm on Wednesday. Scots were urged to leave work early and avoid all travel until 10am on Thursday. Heavy rain from the storm, which is currently over the Bay of Biscay, is expected to turn to snow when it reaches the south coast of England and will combine with strong wind to produce the blizzards.
First minister, Nicola Sturgeon, urged the public to follow the advice of the police and local authorities as up to 40cm of snow is forecast to fall and widespread drifting predicted. Craig Snell, a meteorologist for the Met Office, said the storm would push up into the rest of south-west England and then up into Wales. These parts of the UK should expect to see a lot of snow on Friday.
Heavy snow across Scotland has already prompted the closure of hundreds of schools and caused major travel disruption on the road and rail network. He said:
Amber be prepared warnings are still in place for several other areas of the UK. A new warning for up to 50cm of snow in parts of the west country has ben issued. Those areas should expect 10-20cm of snow with Exmoor, Dartmoor and the higher areas of south Wales such as the Brecon Beacons getting up to 50cm.
The remains of Atlantic Storm Emma is forecast to bring further bouts of heavy snow when it hits cold air over Ireland, Wales and western England. A red weather alert is enforce for most of Ireland. The Red Cross has delivered blankets and bedding to hundreds of passengers stranded overnight at Glasgow airport.
Members of the public have referred a record number of rough sleepers to a specialist helpline. More than 3,600 alerts were sent to StreetLink, which connects homeless people to local services, between Monday and Tuesday morning – the highest total for a 24-hour period. It remains unclear when flights will resume and the airport’s operations manager estimated that around 600 needed a place to bed down.
More than a thousand schools have been forced to close in England. Across the north of Scotland, energy companies have asked the Red Cross to check on vulnerable customers in case of power cuts.
Several lorries became stuck in snow drifts and jack-knifed on roads, causing delays and closures on main roads including the A1. Officials in Lincolnshire advised residents not to travel at all because of “horrendous” conditions. Humza Yousaf, the Scottish Government’s minister for transport, has advised people stuck in traffic jams on the m80 to stay in their vehicles.
Heavy snow caused the closure of the West Coast railway line between Carlisle and Glasgow. More train services have been cancelled in East Anglia and the south-east. He said welfare was being provided to those who are stranded.
A pair of suspected thieves were arrested after police tracked them down by following their footprints in the snow. I can imagine v frustrating to be in standstill traffic however important ppl stay in vehicles, particularly now it's dark.We are providing welfare to those stranded.For everyone else, reminder that advice remains not to travel during Red/Amber Weather Warning. https://t.co/UGMvm7yVA8
Officers in Macclesfield said they arrested two men on Tuesday on suspicion of breaking into vehicles. Earlier Yousaf said he was looking at the traffic cameras and seeing “far too much traffic” on the roads, and reminded people that travel should be avoided.
Looking at live traffic cameras & still seeing far too much traffic on trunk road network. Our advice for last 2days has been to avoid travelCan I reiterate, if you travel you're putting yourself at risk & possibly in danger. Don't take weather warnings lightly @trafficscotland
Police Scotland superintendent Helen Harrison, who is coordinating the multi-agency response, reiterated the message.
She said:
I would urge everyone to consider if they have to travel in the areas affected by the red and amber warnings. The red warning is the highest that the Met Office issues and is not taken lightly.
It indicates conditions will be treacherous with drifting and lying snow, winds creating blizzard conditions and very low temperatures.
A man has died after trying to rescue a dog from a frozen lake in east London, according to reports.
Looks like someone gone through the ice at Danson park. Air ambulance and loads of emergency vehicles there @Kent_999s pic.twitter.com/UUO7Wzhm7t
The man, who was in his 60s, was taken to hospital after being pulled from the water at Danson Park boating pond, Scotland Yard said.
A spokeswoman for the London Fire Brigade said the man was rescued by a member of the public.
Police, firefighters and the air ambulance all attended the scene. The man was confirmed dead at a south London hospital.
The dog was reportedly rescued by boat before being reunited with its owner.
A young boy had to be rescued after he got stranded on an island of ice on a lake on Wednesday afternoon.
The boy had run onto the frozen lake near Basildon, Essex before getting stuck when the ice began to break around him.
The boy’s friend dialled 999 and firefighters were able to rescue him using inflatable sledges.
Firefighters have just rescued a young boy from a freezing pond in #Laindon. ❄️REMEMBER - ice can brake in seconds, and the cold water can kill in minutes. Don't take the risk.More here: https://t.co/7S6UxgDRO9
Area manager for Essex Fire Service Tony Clark warned: “There is just no way you can tell if the ice can take your weight or not - by the time you find out it can’t, it’s too late.
“Our warning to people is to not go on icy ponds or lakes in any circumstances, just by taking one step onto the ice you are risking your life - it’s simply not worth it.”
Highways England has issued an amber “be prepared” alert covering the Midlands and the East, South East and South West of England.
The severe weather warning is in place until Friday morning.
Highways England’s head of road safety Richard Leonard said:
Our gritting teams have been out treating the roads throughout the day and will continue to spreading salt 24 hours a day to keep the roads moving.
Drivers should plan their journeys, monitor weather reports and pack a snow kit of blankets, food, water and a shovel if they really need to travel. You should avoid driving during heavy snow if at all possible.
Councils across Wales are urging schools not to open tomorrow or Friday after weather warnings were upgraded to amber .
The Met Office has issued large parts of Wales with its second-most severe weather warning, which is in force from midday on Thursday.
Due to weather warnings for heavy snow from midday tomorrow into Friday it has been confirmed that all schools in Blaenau Gwent will be closed on Thursday, 1st March and Friday, 2nd March. pic.twitter.com/qk4iWVHQJw
In the warning, the Met Office forecaster said that “long delays and cancellations to public transport is expected, whilst some roads may become blocked by deep snow, stranding vehicles and passengers. Long interruptions to power supplies and other utilities are likely to occur” in places covered by the amber warning.
The councils that have advised schools to close include:
Cardiff
Caerphilly
Bridgend
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Ceredigion
Blaenau Gwent
Merthyr Tydfil
Vale of Glamorgan
Neath Port Talbot
❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️SNOW ALERT❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ pic.twitter.com/GHndfFrXJp
Other councils including Swansea and Carmarthenshire are leaving the decision to individual schools and have urged parents to check school websites for information.
Southeastern rail has apologised to customers for “significant delays and cancellations” and urged commuters to avoid travelling during peak hours.
The Southeastern spokesman said:
Our priority is to get passengers home this evening, but heavy snow across the South East has led to significant delays and cancellations across the rail network.
We’re advising passengers not to travel if they’re able to avoid it, and to make a plan for leaving work earlier than normal. Wherever possible, please try to avoid the peak hours.
We’ve been working hard to run as many trains as possible today, and the weather conditions have been extremely challenging. This has resulted in cancellations and delays and we apologise to passengers who’ve had trouble getting to where they want to go.
Our staff are doing all they can to keep people moving and have been out since the early hours shovelling snow from platforms and walkways. We’re continuing to focus on getting as much information as we can out to passengers.
This is Nicola Slawson taking over from Kevin Rawlinson.
In Scotland, which is being hardest hit by the “beast from the east”, Edinburgh airport remains open despite “most airlines” having cancelled their operations.
Most airlines have cancelled their operations from Edinburgh Airport today. We remain open, but ask passengers to check with their airline regarding their flight status and do not travel to the airport unless they have a confirmed scheduled flight. #BeastFromTheEast
Hospitals are set to come under even greater strain as a result of the extreme weather as the NHS as a whole battles a “perfect storm” of below-zero temperatures, flu and winter vomiting bug, NHS England warned today.
Prof Sir Bruce Keogh, the chair of its National Emergency Pressures Panel, which is helping the NHS manage the extra demands on it this winter, said after its meeting today:
Given the severity and duration of the cold weather, the panel warned that the NHS should be ready for continued pressure as a result of this cold snap, which typically triggers a rise in hospital attendances and admissions.
Hospitals in many parts of England have come under even greater pressure in the last 10 days as temperatures have plummeted and stayed persistently low. One hospital in the Midlands, which asked not to be identified, said that a significant number of the extra patients arriving at its A&E were people with flu, chesty colds and breathing problems. Quite a few of those were older people who, despite feeling unwell, had held off seeking medical care, especially from their GP, and therefore needed to be admitted when they did finally arrive at hospital.
The hospital in question had run completely out of beds and, on one day last week, was unable to admit 160 patients who it believed needed to be on one of its wards. “It’s been very difficult. The numbers turning up have been unprecedented in my 20-odd years in the NHS”, said one official at the hospital.
Keogh, who stepped down after a decade as the NHS’s national medical director in January, said:
The panel wants to thank all NHS colleagues for their continued hard work and dedication in the face of a ‘perfect storm’ of appalling weather, flu and norovirus. With the severe conditions expected to continue we ask patients, their families to bear with us as we seek to minimise any disruption.
The worst flu outbreak since 2009-10 is causing serious problems for hospitals, with 4,000 beds occupied by those struck by the virus. NHS England said in a statement:
This pressure comes as the NHS is already contending with the worst flu outbreak this decade, which peaked at the start of February. We estimate this has meant up to 4,000 hospital beds a week are still being taken up by sufferers. Patients who contract the virus typically stay in hospital two and a half days longer than others.
Norovirus – the winter diarrhoea and vomiting bug – is also restricting the number of beds hospital bosses have available to use for patients admitted as medical emergencies, NHS England said.
The renewed spike in norovirus means that the number of beds closed by diarrhoea and vomiting have been up to 143% higher than the same time last winter. Last week, on average over 950 beds [a day] were closed, up from fewer than 500 for the same week last year.
It added that its unprecedentedly in-depth and detailed “winter plans were having an impact in the face of the most challenging circumstances for several years. [Since January] the NHS has been confronted with persistently high flu hospitalisations, a renewed spike in norovirus and prolonged cold weather which drives up hospital admissions”.
Keogh also highlighted how, despite coming under intense strain since before Christmas, the NHS “saw and treated 92,000 more patients in four hours this January than the same month last year, provided around 1.5 million more flu jabs this winter than last and latest data shows the number of bed days lost to delayed transfers of care has fallen to its lowest for approaching three years. In addition to this, 111 answered 1.33 million, an average of 42,900 per day, and an increase of 4.8% on January 2017”.
More NHS staff who have contact with patients have had the flu jab this winter (67.6%) than last year (63%), which should help reduce the number of doctors, nurses and other personnel going off sick.
The snow has forced the cancellation of the St David’s Day celebrations at the Senedd – the Welsh National Assembly building.
The National Assembly for Wales Commission said arrangements to reschedule some of the tomorrow’s events were being considered and further information would be released through its social media channels.
Stagecoach has cancelled its bus services throughout Fife for the rest of the day.
In consultation with Police Scotland and Transport Scotland, all services in the Fife area will be withdrawn for the remainder of the day. Buses will complete current journeys as possible then return to their depots. Full info> https://t.co/oXf9A1W92Q
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has cancelled non-essential surgery because of safety fears. The health board also said outpatient appointments would be postponed. However, emergency and crucial operations will go ahead as planned.
The day’s snowfall has at least four fans: England’s only polar bears, who have been enjoying the sub-zero conditions at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, in Doncaster. Victor, Pixel, Nobby and Nissan have been enjoying the snow that has blanketed their home.
Staff at the park said the snowfall is the deepest anyone in the Doncaster area can remember for years. Carnivore keeper Adam Pfluger said:
They absolutely seem to love it. Nissan and Nobby especially, the two youngsters, they’ve really enjoyed rolling around in the snow.
We’ve been out in the paddocks to hide their food in the snow and stuff like that for them. They’ve had a really good time trying to dig through all the snow trying to find their breakfast.
Victor, our oldest, is a little bit more sensitive to the cold weather. I think he’s had a bit more of a life of luxury before this. I think he prefers the warmer weather. But even he’s been laid out in the snow and has been seen rolling around.
A pair of suspected thieves were arrested after they left a trail of footprints in the snow, Cheshire police say.
The #snow brought MISERY to two males last night. Mainly because the police followed their footprints and arrested them for breaking in to vehicles in #Macclesfield :-) Stolen property recovered too. pic.twitter.com/uDwN2QImljThe #snow brought MISERY to two males last night. Mainly because the police followed their footprints and arrested them for breaking in to vehicles in #Macclesfield :-) Stolen property recovered too. pic.twitter.com/uDwN2QImlj
Novotel Canary Wharf has issued time lapse footage of London get blanketed in snow. Officers had received a report of a theft from a van at about 11.25pm on Tuesday. The arrested men, both aged 39, were from Manchester and Stockport.
Stein Connelly, Traffic Scotland’s operations manager has urged Scots to to leave work early to avoid the worst of the snow this afternoon and this evening. He pointed out that the red extreme weather warning applies from 3pm on Wednesday to 10am on Thursday. Glasgow airport had temporarily suspended flights while runways were cleared and had hoped to operate some today. Now, it’s announced the suspension of all flights – inbound and outbound – for the rest of the day.
In a video update he said: “Can you leave earlier? Speak to your employer. The message is still the same: avoid travel during this time.” Due to continued severe weather conditions and the large number of flights which airlines have had to cancel, there will be no further flights to or from Glasgow airport for the remainder of the day.
We've got Stein Connelly from @transcotland over at the Traffic Scotland National Control Centre with an update on the forecast RED warning and advice for travelling over the next few days@RHANews @newsfromfta pic.twitter.com/MoHPK5J2wn Further heavy snowfall is forecast and we will provide updates regarding tomorrow’s scheduled services later this evening. We would advise passengers not to travel to the airport and anyone with travel plans should contact their airline directly for specific flight information.
Officials in Lincolnshire are advising residents not to travel at all because of “horrendous” conditions as snow ploughs and gritters struggle to clear the county’s roads. Heavy snowfall in Lincolnshire has prompted the police to declare a critical incident as the A46 Lincoln bypass remains blocked. Lincolnshire police said it was partner agencies to alleviate the traffic issues and respond to those that need help. More than 70 traffic related incidents have now been reported, it said.
Darrell Redford, Lincolnshire county council’s network resilience manager, said: Drivers stuck on the A46 are advised to stay in their vehicles while police try to remove a broken down lorry.
“The conditions out there at the moment are horrendous - we haven’t faced a challenge like this for quite some time. Deputy chief constable Craig Naylor said: “We are dealing with a serious situation which is impacting on services for all agencies. The roads are in a very difficult position. The plans we have put in place as a SCG allow us to keep things going but these are reduced services under significant demands.
“Given the overwhelming amounts of snow that we’re seeing, we’re having to focus solely on our major routes for the moment, as we attempt to get the county moving again. “If you can avoid calling for an ambulance or avoid calling the police or fire service please do.”
“That means many other roads will be hazardous and we’d urge you not to travel at all. A46 Lincoln bypass reopens after lorries stuck in snowhttps://t.co/UyOnCTolVw pic.twitter.com/CjxECPQ2vv
“We will get on top off this, but it will take time.” Several councils in Scotland have announced that all schools in their areas will be closed on Thursday. They include:
Lincolnshire police reported seven road collisions and five stuck lorries. Falkirk
Conditions getting worse in Lincoln on the A46 Northbound between Skellingthorpe and Carholme roundabouts. Three and a half hours and counting. @BBCRadioLincs #snow #lincoln pic.twitter.com/eH4rgEPiiE Clackmannanshire
The Met Office has a useful visual summary of what to expect from the severe weather over the next three days. North and South Ayrshire
Here's a snapshot of expected #uksnow over the next three days pic.twitter.com/sn79e5rksh East Lothian
Met Éireann has expanded a red weather warning for snow and ice to cover most of Ireland. It forecasts up to 25cm of snowfall in some areas and blizzards on Thursday night and Friday. East Dunbartonshire
Weather warnings have been issued for snow-ice.The Map shows counties affected by these warnings. See https://t.co/sLGHpXxrhm for details. pic.twitter.com/gJ8Bh6LB6e
Scotland’s transport minister, Humza Yousaf, repeated his plea for Scots to only make journeys that are absolutely essential.
The @metoffice has just upgraded weather warning to Red - the highest possible level. This is valid from today 3pm - Thur 10am. Areas affected below.To reiterate our travel advice - avoid travel. Ask yourself if your journey is absolutely essential? If not, do not travel. pic.twitter.com/zERptqty58
Following the red extreme weather warning, Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, urged the public to take care and follow the advice of the police, and local authorities.
A red, severe, weather warning has now been issued by @metoffice for parts of Scotland - details below. Please follow @policescotland @trafficscotland and your local council for advice - and take care. https://t.co/7QwgTcJPay
The red warning for Scotland warns of significant drifting and 40cm of snow in some areas. The chief forecaster says:
Snow showers already affecting the area will become heavier and more prolonged later on Wednesday afternoon and at times through the evening and overnight period, with 5 cm of snow falling within an hour in some places and lying snow reaching 20-30 cm and possibly 40 cm in a few places by mid morning on Thursday. Strong easterly winds will lead to significant drifting of lying snow.