Liverpool John Lennon Airport is pictured after being closed due to the runway turning into a snow bed as a result of the wintry conditions
As the UK and other parts of Europe are assailed with torrents of snow, the government urges the populace to brace for the coldest night of winter. Already, the Arctic freeze is grinding Britain to a halt. Met has announced that London is set to plunge to -6C, although flights have been grounded, ‘do not travel’ rail warning rents the air, and roads are now snow beds.
According to the Met Office, high in the horizon is an avalanche of snow while the cold snap will continue for at least the rest of this week.
Airports already affected and of which the impact is remarkable are Liverpool, Aberdeen, Inverness and Belfast International airports. They are worst hit by disruption with a series of cancellations as the conditions blocked runways. Rail services are also badly affected in Wales and northern Scotland,
Hundreds of schools have been closed. Flights were cancelled, trains axed and hundreds of schools closed today after Britain was hit by heavy snow as the cold snap continues for at least the rest of this week.
Liverpool, Aberdeen, Inverness and Belfast International airports are worst hit by disruption with a series of cancellations as snows takeover the runways.
Rail services were also badly affected in Wales and northern Scotland, where LNER advised customers ‘not to travel’ between Edinburgh and Aberdeen or Inverness.
Eurostar told passengers going between London and the Netherlands to postpone their journey as services could not operate beyond Brussels due to the weather.
Eurostar told passengers travelling between London and the Netherlands to postpone their journey as services could not operate beyond Brussels due to the weather.
Wintry conditions also blocked trains in Wales between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog; Machynlleth and Pwllheli; and to Manchester Piccadilly via Shrewsbury.
Environment and weather analysts forecast that “UK faces its chilliest night of the winter so far tonight with temperatures falling to -12C (10F), while London faces an exceptionally cold night with -6C (21F) lows”.
The analysts further predicted that, “temperatures will widely fall below zero again after the mercury fell to -10.9C (12.4F) at Shap in Cumbria last night, making it England’s coldest night of winter so far”.
More than 1ft 8in (52cm) of snow has already fallen in the worst-hit parts of Scotland, bringing travel chaos after Met Office amber warnings were imposed.
Meteorologists also warned today of a ‘potential multi-hazard event’ tomorrow, Thursday, as a low-pressure system could bring further snow, heavy rain and strong winds”.
Snow could even fall in the South ‘on the leading edge’ of the approaching system, eventually bringing milder air and temperatures as warm as Spain by the weekend.
French Transportation Minister, Philippe Tabarot, said on Tuesday that airlines had already been ordered to cancel at least 40% of flights at Paris’s main aerodrome, Charles de Gaulle airport, the following morning, and a quarter of flights at smaller Orly.
Transport Chaos Occasioned by Winter Fury
- Hundreds of flights cancelled in the Netherlands
- Five killed in accidents in France on icy roads
- UK warns winter hazards will continue this week
- More disruption expected on Wednesday
Eurostar advised passengers travelling between London and the Netherlands to postpone their journey as services are unable to operate beyond Brussels due to the weather in the Netherlands.
All trains scheduled to depart from the Netherlands cannot run, a spokesperson added.
The Met Office warned that people living in the regions covered by the amber weather warning could expect travel disruption, and that rural communities could become cut off.
Loganair cancelled flights from Aberdeen and Inverness airports following heavy snowfall.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport posted this morning to say the runway was closed due to wintry conditions and some flights were ‘subject to delay and there have been some cancelations’.
And Belfast International Airport said there had been several delays and cancellations today.
Police travel advice has been issued following the weather warnings for snow across north and north-east Scotland.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell: ‘The forecasted heavy snow showers and ice means driving conditions are likely to be hazardous in some areas.
‘Our advice is to plan ahead and consider if your journey is really necessary during the weather warnings. We continue to work with partners to help our communities impacted by the adverse weather.
‘If you need to travel, please drive to the conditions, be prepared for delays and allow extra time for your journey. Please don’t drive through road closures, the decision to close roads is not taken lightly and is done for public safety.’
French Transportation Minister Philippe Tabarot said on Tuesday that airlines had already been ordered to cancel at least 40% of flights at Paris’s main Charles de Gaulle airport the following morning, and a quarter of flights at smaller Orly.
Public transportation in the Paris region will probably also be disrupted by the snow, he added.
KLM said it was offering alternative flights where possible and doing everything to help travellers, but it was “overwhelmed with inquiries”.
On top of that, all domestic rail services in the Netherlands were suspended early on Tuesday after an IT outage hit the rail network. Trains began running in parts of the country after 0900 GMT, but problems persisted around Amsterdam, with high-speed Eurostar services from Amsterdam to Paris either cancelled or late.
Roads in France were gradually clearing on Tuesday after snow caused severe accidents all over the country, killing at least five people, according to BFMTV news station. Traffic in the Paris area hit a record 1,000 kilometres of jams on Monday evening.
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