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Temperatures drop again as roads and schools hit Temperatures drop again as roads and schools hit
(about 2 hours later)
Temperatures dropped far below freezing overnight to bring further disruption on the roads and the threat of prolonged school closures. Temperatures dropped far below freezing overnight to bring more chaos to roads and threaten prolonged school closures.
Hundreds of cars were stranded on major roads across central Scotland and some including the M8 remained closed. The href="http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_warnings.html" >Met Office is warning of heavy snow and ice in Northern Ireland, north east Scotland and Yorkshire and the Humber.
Some 900 schools were shut in Scotland, 700 in N Ireland and 70 in Cumbria. Icy roads affect eastern England and all of Scotland, where hundreds of cars remained abandoned for a second night.
The href="http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_warnings.html?day=1" >Met Office has issued heavy snow warnings for Orkney and Shetland, Highlands and Outer Hebrides, Grampian, and Northern Ireland. There were 1,600 UK schools closures on Tuesday and more are expected after another bitterly cold night saw -18C (0F) recorded in Perthshire.
BBC weather forecaster Nick Miller said it would be a cold and icy start to Wednesday, especially where there had been recent snow. BBC weather forecaster Nick Miller said it would be a cold and icy start to Wednesday, especially where there had been recent snow, and temperatures would again struggle to get above freezing in many places.
There would be further snow showers in parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland and some counties of eastern England, he added. There are still many problems on the roads, particularly in Scotland's central belt where href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/public-safety/ready-scotland/Winter/consequences/road/Q/editmode/on/forceupdate/on" >Transport Scotland is again advising against all but "absolutely essential" travel.
And temperatures would again struggle to get above freezing in many places. The agency said "significant" overnight progress had been made towards reopening weather-affected parts of the network, but that the westbound M8 between Edinburgh and Harthill remained closed.
Commuters endured another day of travel disruption on Tuesday, including: Meanwhile, the A171 near Whitby, North Yorkshire, is "passable with care" after more than 100 vehicles had to be rescued in a joint operation between police and snow ploughs.
Scotland's Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson has apologised for the situation on the M8, where hundreds of drivers became stranded overnight on Monday, and is expected to make a statement to MSPs later.
Many drivers were stranded on the North York Moors following heavy snow showers, where the A171 between Scarborough and Whitby was closed. Police have said people who had abandoned vehicles should not return to them unless advised to do so.
BBC Scotland correspondent James Cook said the westbound carriage of the M8 had been closed for over 24 hours and was covered with thick ice, which a fleet of specialist gritters had failed to shift.
Scotland's Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson apologised after hundreds of drivers were stranded overnight on the M8, with the central belt particularly badly hit by snow.
Strathclyde Police said they were dealing with more than 1,000 vehicles that had either been abandoned or were stuck in the wintry conditions, with 1,000 officers out working in the snow.
Police said people who had abandoned vehicles should not return to them unless advised to do so.
Some vehicles have been removed already and officers are contacting owners to tell them how to get them back.Some vehicles have been removed already and officers are contacting owners to tell them how to get them back.
The AA said it had responded to 13,500 callouts by 1500 GMT and it expected to attend up to 22,000 by the end of the day - more than double the 9,500 on a normal Tuesday. The AA said it had responded to 13,500 call-outs by 1500 GMT on Tuesday and had dealt with more than 230,000 incidents since the first widespread snow on 24 November - a 93% increase on the same period last year.
Since the first widespread snow on 24 November, the motoring organisation has dealt with more than 230,000 incidents, a 93% increase on the same period last year.
The RAC said breakdowns were 50% more numerous than normal.The RAC said breakdowns were 50% more numerous than normal.
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Map Key

  • Land
  • Cloud
  • Lakes, Rivers & Sea

Fog

Light Heavy

Frost

Light Heavy

Pressure Fronts

Cold Warm Occluded

Rain

Light Heavy Extreme

Snow

Light Heavy

Map Key

  • Land
  • Cloud
  • Lakes, Rivers & Sea

Fog

Light Heavy

Frost

Light Heavy

Pressure Fronts

Cold Warm Occluded

Rain

Light Heavy Extreme

Snow

Light Heavy
Temperature tab onlyTemperature tab only

Temperature (°C)

More details from BBC Weather

Temperature (°C)

More details from BBC Weather
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