January was the coldest New Year in ten years… and there’s even MORE snow on the way
Weather wreaks havoc in UK: Blizzards bring snow chaos while rain causes more flood hell as hunt for elderly couple whose car plunged into swollen river continues… and NEW ‘Beast from East’ is set to strike
- Forecasters say ‘sudden stratospheric warming’ over North Pole could herald repeat of white-out in 2018
- Scotland face snow up to 16in (40cm) deep over higher ground with northern England also seeing blizzards
- Parts of UK under five consecutive days of snow warnings while 154 flood alerts and 53 warnings are in place
- Schools at Harrogate in North Yorkshire are closed while there are major problems on M62 in West Yorkshire
- ** Have you taken any photographs of the snow today? Please email them to: pictures@mailonline.co.uk **
Lorries jack-knifed, vehicles became stuck and gritters were out in force on Britain’s roads today as parts of the country were battered by blizzards and villages were left at risk of becoming cut off.
The wintry weather, which also led to beautiful picture postcard scenes and dogs excited to play in the snow, came amid concerns Scotland faces a new ‘Beast from the East’ as freezing air sweeps in from Siberia this week.
Forecasters say a ‘sudden stratospheric warming’ event over the North Pole last month could herald a repeat of the white-out conditions seen three years ago as bands of rain from England meet winds from Russia.
Areas of Scotland face snow up to 16in (40cm) deep over higher ground, with the country under five consecutive days of snow warnings that also extend down to northern England today and tomorrow along with an ice alert.
Further south heavy rain threatens more flooding in already deluged areas of England, with the Environment Agency issuing 154 flood alerts and 53 warnings today, while Natural Resources Wales put out three alerts.
Parts of northern England have already seen heavy snowfall overnight into this morning, with the Met Office warning rural communities are at risk of becoming cut off and widespread travel disruption is likely.
A handful of schools in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, were closed this morning to children of key workers who were still allowed to attend during the pandemic, while there were major problems on the M62 in West Yorkshire.
There is a mixture of temperatures across the UK today, with 6C (43F) forecast in Manchester, 5C (41F) in Belfast and 3C (37F) in Edinburgh, but 13C (55F) in London and 12C (54F) in Cardiff on the other side of a weather front.
In Nottinghamshire, emergency rescue teams were today continuing their search for a car swept away in the flooded River Trent at Hoveringham yesterday afternoon over fears an elderly couple were inside.
Police, fire and ambulance crews raced to the scene after a vehicle was spotted drifting down the river having entered it at about 4.15pm amid unconfirmed reports from residents that two pensioners were inside.
A woman takes her dog for a walk in Bowes in County Durham this morning as heavy snow falls
Knaresborough Viaduct in North Yorkshire is seen this morning in a picture postcard scene after snow fell overnight
Vehicles struggle to make their way along an icy road in Denshaw, Greater Manchester, this morning
A snowplough keeps the A66 open at Bowes in County Durham this morning as heavy snow falls
A Honda Civic car is driven through the snow on a road in Leeds today as motorists are warned over hazardous conditions
A man clears his driveway this morning following heavy snow overnight in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire
A snowy scene on a street in Leeds this morning as the Met Office issued an amber warning for parts of Yorkshire
A woman walks through heavy snowfall this morning in the village of Leadgate in County Durham
People walk through snow in a park in Leeds this morning as West Yorkshire faced blizzard conditions overnight
Emergency services at Hoveringham in Nottinghamshire last night after a report of a car drifting down the River Trent
A police helicopter was used in a bid to find the vehicle in ‘challenging conditions’, with Nottinghamshire Police Detective Inspector Clare Gibson saying crews were ‘working tirelessly’ to locate and recover the car.
She added: ‘Clearly this is a distressing incident for the local community and we are now investigating to establish the circumstances. However, there is nothing to suggest anything suspicious at this stage.’
Residents living near the scene said the road had been impassable since the river burst its banks following heavy rainfall on Monday. One unnamed local said: ‘That road has always been bad when it floods.
‘There were road closures in place to stop people going down it. We’ve been told there was an elderly couple in the car. We pray that’s not the case, because they haven’t found the vehicle yet.’
Resident Ann Price, 61, added: ‘We’ve heard helicopters overhead most of the night. It’s really worrying and we are hoping for the best. The whole area has been lit up with blue lights – I’ve never seen anything like it.’
An amber weather warning for snow came in force across much of South Yorkshire, and parts of Derbyshire, West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester early this morning at 3am and will last until 1pm this afternoon.
The Met Office said between 1in (3cm) and 3in (8cm) of snow is likely across the area, with 4in (10cm) to 6in (15cm) possible in areas above 650ft (200m).
Overnight, vehicles became stuck on the eastbound M62 near Rochdale, Greater Manchester, between junction 21 for Milnrow and junction 22 for Denshaw leading to a temporary closure of the carriageway.
A lorry jack-knifed on the same motorway westbound between junction 23 and junction 22 near Huddersfield in West Yorkshire in the early hours. Forecasters said motorists on the roads are at risk of becoming stranded, while rail and air cancellations are likely.
Power cuts and disruption to mobile phone coverage are also expected, while rural communities face being cut off completely.
The snow is expected to move north over the course of this morning, before clearing and becoming brighter from the south in the early afternoon. Over the next seven days, much of Scotland is also bracing for icy and snowy conditions.
Met Office warnings – stretching all the way to the weekend – for heavy snow and blizzards have been issued for the north east of Scotland, with the temperature in rural areas dropping as low as -15C (5F).
By Friday night, forecasters say temperatures in cities including Glasgow could fall to -8C (18F).
Elsewhere, there is a yellow weather warning for rain and snow across County Derry and County Antrim in Northern Ireland in force until midday today, meaning flooding is possible.
An alert for snow and ice is also in place from central Scotland down to the Midlands until midnight tonight, which is likely to affect public transport and motorists.
Snow and heavy rain is hitting the UK today (left) but there is a big temperature contrast either side of a weather front (right)
More rain and snow is falling over Britain this afternoon (left), while further downpours will arrive tomorrow (right)
The Environment Agency has issued 154 flood alerts (in amber) and 53 flood warnings (in red) across England today
Two women walk their dogs in the snow in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, this morning after flurries fell overnight
Kayachia Widdas, 32, and her dog Ozzy look at a snow plough today in Bowes, County Durham, amid blizzard conditions
A man walks through Knaresborough in North Yorkshire this morning after snow fell overnight
Kayachia Widdas, 32, and her dog Ozzy play next to Bowes Castle in County Durham this morning as heavy snow falls
Vehicles get stuck on an icy road in Denshaw, Greater Manchester, this morning following overnight snowfall
A pedestrian struggles through heavy snowfall this morning in the village of Castleside in County Durham
The snowy scene in the Derbyshire Dales this morning as the Met Office issued a series of weather warnings
Snow is cleared in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, this morning as the Met Office warned some villages could be cut off
A snowplough makes its way through the village of Castleside in County Durham this morning
People walk near Knaresborough Castle in North Yorkshire this morning after heavy snow fell overnight
A man walks a dog in Knaresborough in North Yorkshire this morning following heavy snow in the region
The snowy scene on a road in the Derbyshire Dales this morning as motorists are warned to take extra care
Vaccination centre staff shovel snow in front of a clinic at Holmfirth in West Yorkshire this morning
Heavy snowfall starts this morning in the village of Stanley in County Durham as cars attempt to drive through it
Snow covers the landscape in the West Yorkshire village of Honley this morning following overnight flurries
Between 2in (5cm) and 4in (10cm) of snow could fall over higher ground in southern Scotland and northernmost counties in England with the possibility of 8in (20cm) or more across the highest roads.
A concentrated band of heavy rain running from County Durham through the middle of Yorkshire is due to fall between 6pm tonight and 4am tomorrow morning bringing travel delays and localised flooding.
Over the later half of the week, a yellow warning for snow is in place in northern Scotland until 6am on Saturday, potentially leading to rural communities being cut off.
Nicky Maxey of the Met Office said: ‘For Scotland we are looking at a cold week ahead, with any precipitation falling as snow, even to lower levels.
The River Thames is pictured this morning after bursting its banks at Pangbourne in Berkshire
A person walks through floodwater next to the Purley Park Social Club in Purley on Thames in Berkshire this morning
A bench lies partially submerged next to the River Thames this morning after it burst its banks at Pangbourne in Berkshire
Floodwater from the Rver Thames surrounds houses on a street in Purley-on-Thames in Berkshire this morning
A ‘road closed’ sign is pictured next to floodwater at Purley-on-Thames in Berkshire this morning
A person walks through floodwater at Purley-on-Thames in Berkshire this morning after the River Thames burst its banks
A bench lies partially submerged next to the River Thames this morning after it burst its banks at Pangbourne in Berkshire
Waves crash against the harbour wall in Porthcawl, South Wales, this morning as weather warnings remain in place
One driver has a lucky escape this morning after their Citroen van burst into flames in the snow on the M62 in West Yorkshire
Another view of the van on fire on the westbound M62 at around 8.30am this morning during bad weather conditions
Queuing traffic on the M62 in Greater Manchester this morning due to bad weather conditions which left ice on the roads
A woman shovels snow on a lane in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, this morning following overnight flurries
A dog walker makes their way through heavy snowfall this morning in the village of Castleside in County Durham
People walk their dogs on a snow-covered lane in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, this morning
Snow covers a sculpture of a lead miner in the village of Castleside in County Durham this morning
‘Some of this snow will be disruptive, potentially from Tuesday onwards. Fronts from the South-West will be pushing into the UK, then hitting cold air to produce snow.’
The first of these fronts was due to arrive in southern Scotland last night before bringing snow to the Central Belt today.
It is a much milder picture further south, with temperatures hitting 11.3C (52.3F) at St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly yesterday compared with lows of -10.5C (13.1F) at Altnaharra in northern Scotland.
With the milder weather comes persistent rain and multiple flood risks. Natural Resources Wales has issued three flood alerts, one for the Carmarthenshire coast, one for Upper Severn in Powys and another for south Pembrokeshire.
Jason Kelly, Met Office deputy chief meteorologist, said: ‘While the south of the UK hangs on to the milder air for much of this week as we approach the weekend, the area of low pressure responsible for the snow across the north of the UK will clear, allowing colder air to push south and west across much of the country.
‘Further snow is expected for most parts of Scotland on Friday, while Saturday will be cold for all.’
Yesterday, in Inverness-shire, postmen battled through snow flurries to deliver mail and car salesmen were out clearing snow from their forecourts.
A child rolls a snowball in the West Yorkshire village of Honley this morning as the flurries continue
Pedestrians make their way through heavy snowfall this morning in the village of Stanley in County Durham
A snowplough makes its way along a road to clear the surface for the motorists today at Castleside in County Durham
Heavy snowfall at Castleside in County Durham today as vehicles and pedestrians struggle through the conditions
A resident walks through the snow in the County Durham village of Leadgate this morning
Kayachia Widdas, 32, and her dog Ozzy walk through Bowes in County Durham this morning as heavy snow falls
A man walks a dog in Knaresborough in North Yorkshire this morning after snow fell overnight in northern England
A snow-covered lane in the West Yorkshire village of Honley this morning as Met Office warnings remain in place
A woman walks through heavy snowfall this morning in the village of Leadgate in County Durham
Snow falls at Knaresborough in North Yorkshire today with the Met Office warning rural communities could become cut off
A van is driven through snow on a road in Leeds this morning amid warnings for motorists to take extra care
A snowy scene in the Derbyshire Dales this morning as a flock of sheep look towards the camera
A man clears snow from outside a road this morning in the County Durham village of Leadgate
Cars travel slowly over the snow in Leeds this morning as the Met Office issued a weather warning for West Yorkshire
A man walks along a snow-covered road in the County Durham village of Leadgate this morning
A resident clears their path in Bowes in County Durham this morning as heavy snow falls
People walk through the snow at a park in Leeds this morning following blizzard conditions overnight
Knaresborough Viaduct in North Yorkshire is pictured this morning after snow fell overnight
People walk through the snow at Holmfirth in West Yorkshire this morning as weather warnings remain in place
A woman clears her path at Bowes in County Durham this morning as heavy snow falls
Scotland has been unseasonably cold since the beginning of the year, with winds coming down from the Arctic. From tomorrow they will come from Siberia, remaining very cold as they cross the North Sea.
On January 5, the Met Office reported that a sudden stratospheric warming event had taken place over the North Pole.
This results from a sudden rise in temperature of up to 50C high in the stratosphere. The dramatic event can have the effect of ‘reversing’ Britain’s usual winds, which blow from west to east.
When this happened on February 28, 2018, the country was brought to a standstill by heavy snow and plunging temperatures.
All indications now suggest Scotland and the rest of the UK face a lengthy spell of cold weather, potentially lasting the whole of February.
A Yorkshire Tea lorry in the snow in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, this morning as flurries fall across northern England
Cars are parked on a snow-covered road in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, this morning following overnight flurries
Snowfall starts in the early hours of this morning in the village of Dipton in County Durham
Cars are parked on a snowy lane in the West Yorkshire village of Honley this morning following overnight flurries
Snowfall starts in the early hours of this morning in County Durham village of Dipton as a resident tries to grit the roads
A woman walks her dogs through the snow in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, this morning
Cars make their way along a road in the County Durham village of Dipton this morning as snow continues to fall
A passer-by takes a photograph of the snow at Holmfirth in West Yorkshire this morning
A snow plough clears the roads and spreads grit in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, this morning
A lorry jack-knifed on the M62 between junction 23 and junction 22 in West Yorkshire near Huddersfield early this morning
A snowplough clears the streets of Sheffield for motorists during blizzard conditions in South Yorkshire this morning
A woman walks through the snow in Sheffield this morning as parts of Yorkshire are hit by heavy snow
Motorists drive through the streets of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire this morning after snow fell overnight
Traffic on the M62 in the Greater Manchester area is badly affected this morning by the weather conditions
A pedestrian carries bags through the streets of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire this morning after snow fell overnight
Snowfall starts in the early hours of this morning in the village of Leadgate in County Durham
A street is covered with snow in Sheffield this morning as the Met Office issued an amber warning for South Yorkshire
Snow in Leeds this morning as the Met Office issued an amber warning which covered much of Yorkshire today
A snowplough keeps the A66 open at Bowes in County Durham this morning as heavy snow falls
A man walks near the castle at Knaresborough in North Yorkshire this morning after snow fell overnight
The snow could result in people being stranded in their vehicles and some communities cut off. The A9 between Perth and Inverness is considered particularly vulnerable.
Travel disruption could also impede the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination programme and prevent older people from reaching inoculation centres.
Across Britain, temperatures averaged 2.2C (36F) last month amid harsh frosts, sleet and snow.
It was the coldest January since 2010 when an average of 0.9C (34F) was recorded. The coldest January on record was in 1963 with an average of -1.9C (29F).
A snow plough clears the roads and spreads grit in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, this morning
Overnight snow covers cars in the Woodlesford area of Leeds in West Yorkshire this morning
A man jogs through the streets of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire this morning after snow fell overnight
A dog rides on a farmer’s quadbike in Bowes in County Durham this morning while heavy snow falls.
A motorist drives through the streets of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire this morning after snow fell overnight
Snow falls in a residential area of Barnsley in South Yorkshire this morning as parts of Britain are hit by flurries
Snow on the M62 in West Yorkshire this morning as police respond to an accident amid dangerous conditions on the roads
Snow in Leeds this morning as northern England and Scotland face a swathe of weather warnings over the next few days
Snow on the M62 in West Yorkshire caused chaos this morning with police called to reports of a jack-knifed lorry
Snow covers cars on a street in Leeds this morning as the Met Office issued an amber weather warning for parts of Yorkshire
A motorist drives through the streets of Knaresborough in North Yorkshire this morning after snow fell overnight
Footsteps in the snow in Leeds this morning as parts of Britain face blizzard conditions today
Snow falls in a residential area of Leeds this morning as the Met Office issued a series of weather warnings
Snow falls on a street in Leeds this morning as parts of Yorkshire face blizzard conditions
Snow falls on cars in Sheffield this morning as the Met Office issued a series of yellow and amber weather warnings
Snow falls in Leeds this morning as the Met Office said further blizzards are expected later this week
Snow in Huddersfield this morning as West Yorkshire faces overnight blizzard conditions
Snow in Elmsall near Wakefield in West Yorkshire this morning as further blizzards are expected later this week
Snow at Huddersfield in West Yorkshire this morning as the Met Office issues weather warnings for northern England
Snow falls over a road in Halifax this morning as the West Yorkshire region faces blizzard conditions today
Dr Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre (NCIC), said: ‘January 2021 has been dominated by colder-than-average weather with only brief milder interludes, but what does this cold winter mean in the context of climate change and a warming planet?
‘Well, a winter month as cold or colder than January 2021 used to occur in approximately seven out of 10 winters through the 20th Century.
‘In more recent decades this has dropped to around three in ten. So although we are still subject to cold weather in winter, these cold spells tend not to be as severe or as frequent as in the past.’
Forecasters said that it would stay chilly for much of the country into next week, and warned that brisk easterly winds would make it feel even colder.
** Have you taken any photographs of the snow today? Please email them to: pictures@mailonline.co.uk **
