UK weather: New snow and ice warnings issued as forecasters warn of more travel disruption | UK News

An ice warning for the South East and West Midlands is among the new weather warnings now in place across the UK.

Wintry conditions caused widespread travel problems on Tuesday and forced more than 200 schools to close.

Forecasters say the difficult conditions will last through rush hour on Wednesday, causing problems on roads and public transport.

The ice warning covers London and most of southern England as far west as Exeter, and as far north as Birmingham, Leicester and Chester, and expires at 10:00 a.m.

A snow and ice warning also covers almost all of Wales apart from some far western areas, most of western and northern Scotland and all of Northern Ireland – again until 6pm. 10:00 a.m.

Another snow and ice warning snakes its way up the coast from East Anglia to the Scottish border and is in place until 10am.

The Met Office has warned that some journeys by road and rail may take longer in the morning.

It says drivers should allow extra time and pack things like a blanket, shovel, phone charger and food and water.

Walkers should also be wary of icy surfaces, and cyclists are advised to stick to main roads that are more likely to have been treated.

Temperatures in many places are set to be near or below zero overnight, while snow accumulations are expected to range from a few centimeters to potentially 10cm or more on higher ground.

Areas above 300m of Scotland could see accumulations of 15-20cm, the Met Office said.

Check the weather forecast in your area

The Met’s chief meteorologist, Neil Armstrong, said: “With cold arctic air firmly in place over the UK, continued wintry hazards are likely through most of this week, with further updates to warnings likely in the coming days.”

Monday night saw sub-zero temperatures across much of the UK, reaching as low as -11.2C at Braemar, Aberdeenshire.

Snowfall was also reported widely, with 12cm recorded at Watnall in Nottinghamshire on Tuesday morning.

By Tuesday afternoon, around 140 school closures had been reported in Wales, around 50 in the West Midlands and 20 in Derbyshire.

There were also travel headaches for thousands of train passengers as National Rail warned of disruption on various routes.

By midday, around 64 out of 120 services (53%) scheduled by East Midlands Railway had been canceled or delayed by at least half an hour, according to punctuality website trains.im.

Figures for other operators included London North Eastern Railway (37%), Transport for Wales (13%), West Midlands Trains (13%) and CrossCountry (12%).

Rail travelers have been advised to check online before they set off and drivers should also plan ahead.

Darren Clark from National Highways said: “Gritters will be out treating our roads around the clock when ice or snow is forecast, but it is still important to drive for the conditions.

“Keep your distance and reduce your speed, because even in conditions that seem normal and where the snow is not settling, it can be slippery if patches of ice have formed or where fresh gravel has not been worked on the roadway.

“Drivers should plan their trips, monitor weather forecasts and pack a snow kit with blankets, food, water and a shovel.”

The first amber health alert of the season has also been issued by the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA), covering all of England, except the south, until 5pm. 18.00 Saturday.

The amber warning is issued when the weather is likely to “cause significant impacts across health and social services”, including the potential for an increase in deaths, particularly among older people or those with health problems.

Dr. Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme incidents at UKHSA, said: “It’s important to check in on vulnerable friends, family and neighbors to ensure they are well prepared for the onset of cold weather. Especially if they are elderly or otherwise at increased risk.”

Yellow health warnings – the second lowest – are in place for the South East, South West and London.

More is expected in the coming days

The Met Office has warned that there could be further heavy rain, strong winds and more snow for the rest of the week as temperatures remain below average

“Further snow accumulations are expected throughout the week, mostly overnight at low levels, in northern Scotland and exposed parts elsewhere,” it said.

Those in the affected areas have been told that power outages are possible and cell phone coverage may be affected.

The Met Office said there was also a small chance some rural areas could be cut off.

The snow in pictures