Manchester Airport closed both runways as temperatures plunge to a chilling minus 10C today with the Met Office warning heavy snow will land on London and south-eastern England tomorrow.
Snow has been falling and settling in Devon, Wales, areas of north-west England and parts of Scotland with the closures at Manchester Airport causing disruption to more than 20 flights to and from the airport. One of the runways has since reopened.
The airport said in a statement on Saturday morning: ‘Due to heavy snow fall, we have temporary closed both runways. Health and safety will always be our top priority and operations will resume at the earliest opportunity. Passengers are advised to contact their airline for the most up-to-date flight information.’
Meanwhile, RAC spokesman Rod Dennis advised drivers to ‘be alert’ and suggested football fans leave their cars at home and go on foot to watch England play France in the World Cup.
Elsewhere, passengers at Gatwick Airport reportedly said frost and ice on the runways had delayed flights by ‘hours’, while more than 140 flights have been cancelled at Dublin Airport.
The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said airlines have responsibility for de-icing planes and this is what has caused the delays.
Police are also warning motorists in north-western England to take care while driving as they respond to road traffic collisions on several major roads.
Large areas of the country have been warned to expect severe conditions during the weekend as the Troll of Trondheim continues to batter the UK with freezing temperatures.
A Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice is in place for much of Scotland until 12pm on Sunday.
On Saturday, the Met Office extended ice warnings in Northern Ireland, Wales and south-western England to cover snow until 12pm on Sunday.
Manchester Airport has closed both runways affecting dozens of flights as temperatures plunge to a chilling minus 10C today
The airport said in a statement on Saturday morning: ‘Due to heavy snow fall, we have temporary closed both runways’
Snow has been falling and settling in Devon, Wales, areas of north-west England and parts of Scotland with the closures at Manchester Airport (pictured) causing disruption to more than 20 flights to and from the airport
Elsewhere, passengers at Gatwick Airport reportedly said frost and ice on the runways had delayed flights by ‘hours’, while more than 140 flights have been cancelled at Dublin Airport. Pictured: Manchester Airport
Children build a snowman after the first significant snow fall in Northwich, Cheshire
Homes in the village of Great Budworth are covered in snow
Snow falls in Manchester as runners and walkers enjoy a jog and stroll in Sale
Horses being exercised in a frost covered landscape in Hyde Park. The Met Office have issued yellow weather warnings for parts of the UK, with snowfall expected in places
Walkers out early on a cold and frosty morning by the woodlands in Dunsden, Oxfordshire
A frosty sunrise in Barnham, West Sussex. Large areas of the country have been warned to expect severe conditions during the weekend, with snow forecast for Scotland and the south-east of England
The Met Office said the conditions could lead to travel disruption, especially on Monday morning, and a small chance of some rural communities becoming cut off along with a possibility of power cuts and mobile phone coverage being affected. Pictured: Snow falling in Manchester
Frost cover bushy Park in Southwest London, this morning. Cold weather hits London over the weekend
On Sunday, a snow and ice warning kicks in at 9am for most of London and some of south-eastern England until 9am on Monday, with a 30 per cent chance of up to 5cm of snow.
The Met Office said the conditions could lead to travel disruption, especially on Monday morning, and a small chance of some rural communities becoming cut off along with a possibility of power cuts and mobile phone coverage being affected.
North West Motorway Police tweeted: ‘Good morning folks, Snow fall this morning is causing surface water on the regions motorways.
‘We are currently dealing with RTC’s on the M58, M62, M61 & A556. Please take care if you are heading out today and remember to allow plenty of time & drive carefully.’
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) sent out a level three cold weather alert covering England until Friday having extended the alert from Monday.
Met Office chief meteorologist Steve Willington said: ‘It is staying cold with daytime temperatures remaining only a few degrees above freezing in many places over the coming days and overnight temperatures dropping to minus 10C or lower in isolated spots.
‘Although below average, these temperatures are not that unusual for this time of year.
‘There is still a risk we could see some freezing fog in places particularly southern England, especially for Sunday and Monday mornings.
‘There is also a small risk of a band of sleet or snow moving into the far South East on Sunday.
‘If this happens it could potentially bring some disruption, especially to rush hour on Monday. A warning has been issued.’
Swimmers wearing Santa hats prepare to enter the water at the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, central London as freezing temperatures continue in the capital
Hard frost covers the countryside after another bitterly cold night. Seasonal weather, cold snap, Dunsden, Oxfordshire
Temperatures are set to stay low, hitting minus 10C (14F) in isolated areas on Saturday and Sunday. Pictured: Frost in Northolt, West London on Saturday morning
Manchester Airport as snowploughs and a John Deere tractor clear the runways around a Ryanair plane
North West Motorway Police tweeted: ‘We are currently dealing with RTC’s on the M58, M62, M61 & A556. Please take care if you are heading out today and remember to allow plenty of time & drive carefully’
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) sent out a level three cold weather alert covering England until Friday having extended the alert from Monday. Pictured: Frosty sunrise in Barnham, West Sussex
Frost blankets the ground whilst a pony grazes to complete a magical scene at Hale in the New Forest, Hants, today
The Troll of Trondheim continues to grip the country bringing arctic winds which have seen temperatures drop
Snow this morning at Helmshore, Rossendale Valley, Lancashire
Met Office chief meteorologist Dan Stroud said the weather on Saturday morning is ‘a continuation of the very cold and frosty theme’.
‘We’re seeing a few showers chiefly in the west and north but there is a risk of organised snow arriving across the South East late on Sunday into Monday,’ she said.
Mr Stroud said the snow is expected to ‘graze parts of Sussex and Kent’, adding: ‘It’s more of a risk at the moment.’
Wales may see some showers and snow is falling in the hills while Scotland’s snow is ‘largely light’ now, Mr Stroud added.
For the rest of the UK on Saturday, there will be ‘a lot of dry and fine weather during the day but feeling very cold out there with temperatures struggling into low single figures,’ he said.
The forecaster advised people to ‘stay up to date with the latest forecast forecasts, and if you are travelling, plan your route carefully, take extra cautions and give yourself extra time to travel because roads will be slippery and there will be a lot of frost around the place.’
Mr Stroud added that temperatures also plummeted over night to minus 9.2C in Eskdalemuir in Scotland.
Cars make their way through a snow flurry, the first significant snow fall in Northwich, Cheshire
On Saturday, the Met Office extended ice warnings in Northern Ireland, Wales and south-western England to cover snow until 12pm on Sunday
A woman makes her way through a snow flurry in Northwich, Cheshire
Hard Frost hits the Kentish Countryside at Cobham in Kent
Liverpool received a blanket of snow today and children used the chance to get their snowboards out
A dog walker with her pet on a snow covered road near Aughton, Liverpool
A cold and misty morning in the heart of the Cotswolds, Bourton-on-the-Water, in freezing temperatures
Rowers on the river Avon during a cold sunrise in Warwick
Derbyshire had its first snowfall of the season. This is a view from the Monsal Dale viaduct
Snow this morning at Helmshore, Rossendale Valley, Lancashire
Snow plough in the Cairngorms National Park near Aviemore. Large areas of the country have been warned to expect severe conditions during the weekend
The UKHSA is advising people to look out for friends and family who are vulnerable in the cold and to ensure they have access to warm food and drinks, adding that people should maintain indoor temperatures of at least 18C (64.4F).
Dr Agostinho Sousa, consultant in public health medicine at UKHSA, said: ‘Cold weather can have serious consequences for health and older people and those with heart or lung conditions can be particularly at risk.
‘If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you should heat your home to a temperature that is comfortable for you.
‘In rooms you mostly use such as the living room or bedroom, try to heat them to at least 18C if you can. Keep your bedroom windows closed at night.
‘Wearing several layers of clothing will keep you warmer than one thicker layer.’
Darren Clark, severe weather resilience manager at National Highways, said gritters would be out to keep motorways and major A-roads open.
He said: ‘National Highways is committed to treating every road which needs to be treated – whenever it is needed.’
The RAC has reported it has been ‘exceptionally busy’ in recent days receiving a quarter more breakdowns than is normal for this time of year.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis advised drivers to ‘be alert’ and suggested football fans leave their cars at home and go on foot to watch England play France in the World Cup.
He said: ‘The big freeze continues today and those heading out on the roads must be alert to the risk of ice, especially in the south and west of the UK which are covered by weather warnings.
‘Leaving the car at home and going on foot to watch the match perhaps makes the most sense – and especially so if people are planning on drinking any alcohol while England play France.
‘Yesterday was an exceptionally busy day for breakdowns, with the equivalent of around 400 drivers breaking down every hour – similar to what we’d expect on a Monday in December.’
Also, more than 3,200 warm banks, run by local authorities and charities to provide heating to those who cannot afford to heat their homes, are currently open across the UK, according to the Warm Welcome Campaign.
A car has climbed the embankment on the side of the M58 near Liverpool
On Sunday, a snow and ice warning kicks in at 9am for most of London and some of south-eastern England until 9am on Monday, with a 30 per cent chance of up to 5cm of snow
The UKHSA is advising people to look out for friends and family who are vulnerable in the cold and to ensure they have access to warm food and drinks, adding that people should maintain indoor temperatures of at least 18C (64.4F). Pictured: Manchester
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued a cold-weather alert that will run until Monday morning, as many across the UK struggle with home-heating costs. Pictured: Cars make their way through a snow flurry in Northwich
More than 3,200 warm banks, run by local authorities and charities to provide heating to those who cannot afford to heat their homes, are currently open across the UK, according to the Warm Welcome Campaign. Pictured: Kent
It said many of them are a third or even half full and offer a variety of services, from hot tea to a place to work. Pictured: Liverpool
Charity Save the Children said 194 of 355 councils in England and Wales were directly involved in or supporting local groups to open warm spaces this winter. Pictured: Kent
The Government payments have been triggered for eligible households in areas where the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0C or below over seven consecutive days. Pictured: Aughton, Liverpool
A photograph of Lower Hearson Farm posted to their Twitter feed of overnight snow in Barnstaple
It said many of them are a third or even half full and offer a variety of services, from hot tea to a place to work.
Charity Save the Children said 194 of 355 councils in England and Wales were directly involved in or supporting local groups to open warm spaces this winter.
Becca Lyon, head of child poverty at Save the Children UK, said: ‘Families should not be in a position where they are agonising over whether to put the heating on in sub-zero temperatures.
‘Parents have told us they will risk going into debt to keep their children warm.’
Councillor Richard Wenham, vice-chairman of the Local Government Association’s Resources Board, said: ‘Warm hubs and other similar schemes are among the many actions councils are taking to support people in the greatest need this winter, but these emergency schemes should not become the norm and are not a sustainable solution to bridge the gap between income and the current cost of living.’
It comes as people on the lowest incomes in hundreds of affected postcode districts in England and Wales are set to receive a £25 cold weather payment.
The Government payments have been triggered for eligible households in areas where the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0C or below over seven consecutive days.
In a quiet cul-de-sac, a crisis has been underway for over a week – and there’s still no end in sight.
In Stannington, Sheffield, up to 2,000 homes have been affected after a burst water pipe last Friday, December 2, flooded into a gas main
Residents like Terry Howell (pictured) are still without heating or hot water
Some of Britain’s poorest households are set to get £25 cold weather payments after the temperature threshold was triggered this week for parts of the country.
As the rest of Yorkshire worry about how they will afford to warm their homes as freezing temperatures hit, there’s a small corner of the county who can only dream of turning the heating on at all right now.
In Stannington, Sheffield, up to 2,000 homes have been affected after a burst water pipe last Friday, December 2, flooded into a gas main.
The leak was stopped but water is still being cleared out now – and many are still without gas while temperatures are dropping below zero degrees at night.
Sheffield City Council declared a major incident earlier this week after the incident spread to Hillsborough and Malin Bridge.
Engineers from Cadent Gas have been working around the clock to try to resolve the issue, but many residents have still been facing freezing homes during one of the coldest weeks of the year.
Residents have had to find elsewhere to go and cook, shower, stay warm, and more. Forge Valley School nearby has been open over the weekend for people to go and shower and will remain so in the coming weekend.
The streets of Stannington, lined with frost from a December week that saw temperatures dip below freezing, are still full of works where water is being pumped out.
Gritney Spears, For Your Ice Only and Salt Disney get to work: Scotland’s fleet of hilariously-named gritters hit the roads as fans watch them work live online
By Jonathan Rose for MailOnline
Scotland’s fleet of hilariously-named gritters have hit the roads – with names like Gritney Spears, For Your Ice Only and Salt Disney.
Transport Scotland’s gritters have risen to prominence in recent years due to their fun names and a website called Gritty Tracker that allows you to follow their movements.
The UK has a tradition of giving modes of transport bizarre names, after a research ship was named Boaty McBoatface following a public vote in 2016.
And the nation’s fleet of gritters, which are keeping drivers safe this week, is no exception.
Transport Scotland’s gritters have risen to prominence in recent years due to their fun names and a website that allows you to track their movements
The UK has a tradition of giving modes of transport bizarre names, after a research ship was named Boaty McBoatface following a public vote in 2016. Pictured: Sir Andy Flurry
And the nation’s fleet of gritters, which are keeping drivers safe this week, is no exception. Pictured: Gritty Gritty Bang Bang
Troon Raker is cruising through Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, and Calvin Harr-Ice is out and about in Dumfries, Dumfriesshire.
Other highlights include Gangsta Granny Gritter gritting roads in Dingwall, Easter Ross, and Veruca Salt in Perth, Perthshire.
I Came, I Thaw, I Conquered and Mary Queen of Salt are clearing roads in Dundee.
Other council’s across the UK have followed suit and given their gritters new names.
Voldergrit is on the roads in Chelmsford, Essex, Thaw Enforcement in East Riding of Yorkshire, with Itsy Bitsy Teeney Weeney Yellow Anti-Slip Machiney and David Plowie are out in Doncaster.
The Met Office has issued warnings across the UK as temperatures plummet across the UK.
Temperatures are expected to plunge to -10C heading into next week as snow covers large parts of Britain.
Scotland’s Gritter names 2022
Mr Plow
The Ice Destroyer
Gritallica
Ready, Spready Go!
Snow Angel
Veruca Salt
My Name is Doddie
Sprinkles
Grit A Bit
My Name’5 Doddie
I Want to Break Freeze
Mega Melter
Basil Salty
Polar Patroller
Snow Dozer
Licence to Chill
The Incredible Ice BEAR
Walter The Salter
BFG – Big Friendly Gritter
BEAR-illiant
Sled Zeppelin
Snowlar BEAR
Gansta Granny Gritter
Frosty
The Snow Buster
For Your Ice Only
The Snowclaimers
Salty
I’m shovelin’
Always Be Grit-full
Scotland’s Bravest Gritter
Blizzard BEAR
Sir Salter Scott
Snow Connery
Nitty Gritty
Grit-Tok
BRINE FREEEEZE
Mrs McGritter
Polar BEAR Express
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