UK weather: Storm Darcy brings snow, -10C chill and 50mph winds
Another day in Storm Darcy’s grip: Britain is told to brace for more travel chaos with ‘Beast from the East II’ set to bring SIX more inches of snow tomorrow after blizzards forced vaccine centres to shut and turned roads into ‘lethal’ ice rinks today
- Snow warnings are in place across most of the England and Scotland, with delays to road, rail and air routes
- Freezing 50mph gales from Russia and Ukraine dubbed ‘mini Beast from the East’ are tearing across Britain
- Towering snowdrifts described by road clearance teams as ‘higher than our snow ploughs’ seen in Suffolk
- In Norfolk alone, around 400 schools are closed, while Southeastern railway is urging people not to travel
Britain is facing further snow and ice chaos with Storm Darcy set to cause more carnage overnight and on Tuesday after blizzards forced vaccines centres to shut and turned roads into ‘lethal’ ice rinks today.
At least ten vaccination centres due to inoculate thousands were shut as the ‘Beast from the East II’ struck the UK with 50mph winds and a foot of snow forecast to last until Wednesday.
Most of England and Scotland have seen snowfalls today, with temperatures expected to plunge as low as -10C in Scotland later on as a ‘bitterly cold’ weather system swept in from Ukraine and the Black Sea.
Covid vaccine centres in parts of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk shut their doors, along with hundreds of schools which had previously been open for the children of key workers.
A yellow snow warning is in place across the eastern half of the UK until midnight on Wednesday, running from the south coast near Brighton up to the Shetlands off northern Scotland.
A more serious amber warning was introduced this morning for Essex, Kent, Suffolk, Norfolk and a small part of south-east London. It expired at 2pm, although another has been introduced for Scotland covering parts of the Central Belt.
Disruption has also hit rail services, with Southeastern advising passengers not to travel and Greater Anglia expecting disruption until midday.
In Norfolk alone, around 350 schools are closed because of the snow and ice, after sub-zero temperatures created perilous conditions on roads.
A foot of snow has already been reported in Tendring, Essex, while drifts of up to three feet have been reported in parts of East Anglia.
The Met Office says snow falls of up to 10cm (3.9in) will be widespread in the amber areas, increasing up to 30cm (11.8in). The heaviest snow is expected to be today before easing slightly tomorrow and Wednesday.
The coronavirus vaccination centre at Gainsborough sports centre in Ipswich, Suffolk, which was closed today due to the snow
A car is seen driving past high piled snow drifts on this afternoon in Cabrach, a remote community in Moray, after Storm Darcy struck the area today
A yellow snow warning is in place across the eastern half of the UK from first thing today until midnight on Wednesday (pictured left are weather warnings for Tuesday). A more serious amber warning was introduced this morning for Essex, Kent, Suffolk, Norfolk and a small part of south-east London. It expired at 2pm, although another has been introduced for Scotland covering parts of the Central Belt
A father and child enjoy the snow at a park in central London, where a yellow snow warning remains in place until Wednesday
Richard Squirrell uses a quad bike to give his granddaughter Florence a ride in the snow in Wattisham, Suffolk
A snowplough at work on Canterbury Hill in Stowting, Kent, as south-east England saw heavy snowfalls overnight
A van drives through heavy snow on the North Yorkshire Moors near Castleton this morning on the second day of Storm Darcy
Drifting snow covers a car in Harwood in County Durham amid wintry conditions across the country today
The AA said the ‘treacherous driving conditions’ led to ‘numerous’ accidents on UK roads today. Pictured is a car in Harwood, County Durham
Sheep are seen looking at a snowed in car this afternoon in Cabrach, Scotland, following heavy falls overnight and today
Walkers pass a house in Tomintoul, Moray, where the snow had piled outside the door. Icicles were also hanging from the roof
Another wintry scene in Tomintoul, which is located at a height of 1164 ft on the northern slopes of the Cairngorm Mountains
A man using skis on Farthing Common in Kent, after the Met Office issued a severe amber snow warnings for London and south-east England, which expired at 2pm
Abandoned cars in a snow filled ditch in Needham Market in Suffolk, with heavy snow bringing disruption to south-east England and East Anglia
Tobogganers were out in force this morning in Folkestone, Kent, including on Farthing Common, which is one of the highest points of the North Downs
A car that had to be dug out of the snow on a road in Southrepps, Norfolk, where several feet of snow fell this morning
Fresh snowfall over the village of Haddenham in Cambridgeshire this morning following the effects of Storm Darcy
People in the snow near Tower Bridge in London this morning. Most of London is covered by a yellow snow warning until Wednesday
A couple walk through a winter wonderland near the village of Bridge in Kent on day two of Storm Darcy
Commuters crossing London Bridge this morning after substantial snowfall in the capital. A yellow warning is in place until Wednesday
The famous beach huts on the seafront at Southwold in Suffolk were covered in snow today as temperatures hovered around freezing
A boy sledging on Farthing Common in Kent, after the Met Office issued a severe amber snow warnings for London and south-east England
Snow covers moorland and fields on the Yorkshire Moors this morning, creating a stunning winter scene
The warnings, stretching across northern England to Belfast in Northern Ireland and down to the south-east of England, says ‘rural communities could become cut off’
A woman walks through the heavy snow on Newcastle’s Quayside (left) and a man opts for skis to travel along a country road
Rail services have also been disrupted, with Southeastern advising passengers not to travel and Greater Anglia (pictured) expecting disruption until midday
The fallout from Storm Darcy in Hexham, Northumberland, where several cars collided amid snowy conditions on the roads
One of the cars was badly damaged due to the multi-car collision in Hexham, which police attended this morning
The snow caused this spectacular scene in fields in Suffolk this morning. The county received some of the heaviest falls
The sleepy village of Terling in Essex woke up to a blanket of snow this morning, leading to this beautiful wintry scene
The Met Office said: ‘Strong easterly winds will make it feel bitterly cold across much of the UK, with further snow showers feeding westwards.’ Pictured is a runner in Newcastle
Children play in the snow on Primrose Hill in London. A yellow weather warning for snow is in place until Wednesday
In the east of England, several Covid-19 vaccination centres were closed, including; Clacton Hospital, Colchester United’s stadium, Gainsborough Sports Centre in Ipswich, and Chevington Close in Bury St Edmunds.
Five Covid-19 vaccination centres closed in Suffolk at Debenham, Haverhill, Ipswich (Trinity Park), Stowmarket and Woodbridge. This meant 10 were shut in total, LBC reported.
Meanwhile, 400 schools in Norfolk have had to shut their doors to all pupils.
Today, police forces in parts of Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex told drivers not to travel as roads became ‘impassable’ due to settled snow.
Road closures were announced in Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire and Hertfordshire.
Suffolk Highways said conditions were ‘worsening’, comparing the recent weather to the ‘Beast from the East’ of 2018.
People in Kent were told to expect slower traffic, with police echoing many forces around the country in warning drivers only to travel ‘if necessary’.
The AA said the ‘treacherous driving conditions’ led to ‘numerous’ accidents on UK roads today.
Spokesman Ben Sheridan said: ‘Roads will be lethal where snow and ice has hit the UK.
‘If you must travel, reduce your speed to account for the conditions and leave plenty of space behind other vehicles.
‘Don’t forget to clear snow from the windows, lights and roof of the car so you can see and be seen, and watch out for black ice and compacted snow, especially in rural areas.’
Meanwhile, National Rail has told train passengers that services across the country are likely to be affected by the conditions.
The firm said ‘it may be necessary to close some routes’, and urged customers to travel ‘later in the morning’.
Southern Rail announced service cancellations in south-east London, while networks in Kent and Essex have closed train lines.
Several Covid-19 vaccination centres remain closed, including: Clacton Hospital, Colchester United’s stadium, Gainsborough Sports Centre in Ipswich and Chevington Close in Bury St Edmunds.
A number of schools were closed across the south-east of England and Lincolnshire.
Yellow snow and ice warnings are also in place for much of the rest of the UK, with people told to expect ‘frequent’ wintry showers that ‘may lead to travel disruption in places’.
The warnings, stretching across northern England to Belfast in Northern Ireland and down to the south-east of England, says ‘rural communities could become cut off’.
People walking their dogs on Wimbledon Common this morning as Storm Darcy brings more snow to the capital
The Met Office has issued yellow snow and ice warnings warings and disruptive snowfall’ in South East of England with cold 50mph gales arriving from Russia and Ukraine
A snow plough operator clears snow on a pathway at the Kelpies near Falkirk in Scotland. They are the largest equine sculptures in the world
Workers clear the overnight snow in Witham, Essex, which saw some of the heaviest falls this morning and on Sunday
Snowy rooftops in Hexham, Northumberland. Yellow warnings for snow are in place across much of the eastern half of the UK until Wednesday
A motorist falls foul of the severe weather conditions near Stevenage in Hertfordshire, in an image tweeted by the local road policing team
A snow plough heads out on the A14 this morning amid a battle to keep roads clear from the heavy snowfall over night
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue tweeted this photo of a a Ford Fiesta car that lost control and crashed into a ditch in Kirton
Cars make their way along a snow covered road in Barham near Ipswich, with heavy snow set to bring disruption to south-east England and East Anglia
A snow plough on the A66 near Bowes in County Durham where the road was closed due to heavy snow this morning
A worker uses a vehicle to clear snow on a pathway alongside the Forth and Clyde canal at the Kelpies near Falkirk in Scotland
Snow covers rental bicycles outside the Visitor Centre at Kelpies near Falkirk in Scotland after heavy snow this morning
Suffolk farmer Ed Walsh snapped the snow lying on his garden furniture following flurries overnight – with more on the way
Snow has blanketed snow in Detling, near Maidstone, Kent overnight. Elsewhere in the county, 17cm settled in Manston yesterday
Temperatures dropped close to -3C overnight in Braemar, while snow blanketed parts of London at the start of the week today
In Ashford, Kent, a Tesco delivery van was seen making its way up an icy road in the village of Great Chart on Monday morning
Southend-on-Sea can expect strong winds to arrive from the Beast from the East this week after waking up to snow today
Footprints barely made a dent in the snow in Alford, Aberdeenshire. The Met Office has warned some rural communities could be cut off if snow continues to fall along the East of Britain
There are also fears of power cuts across the country in the coming days, after Edinburgh residents reporting outages on Sunday evening. Pictured: Bermondsey this morning
As Londoners awoke to snow this morning, the Met Office has warned of long interruptions to power supplies and other services, such as gas, water, telephone and mobile phone coverage
Hyde Park has a light dusting of snow in London, with the worst-hit parts of the country expected to be further east
Temperatures are expected to plummet below 0C (32F) for most of the UK.
The Met Office said: ‘Strong easterly winds will make it feel bitterly cold across much of the UK, with further snow showers feeding westwards.
‘These showers merging into some longer spells of snow over some eastern areas, whilst always drier and brighter further west.’
The warnings will run into Wednesday.
Between 10cm (4in) and 15cm (6in) of snow is ‘plausible’ in areas where showers ‘merge into more organised and prolonged spells’.
Public Health England (PHE) has issued a cold weather alert for the whole of the country, saying it could have ‘a serious impact on health’.
Dr Owen Landeg, of PHE, said: ‘For older people and those with heart and lung problems, it can increase the risks of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections.’
Yesterday a man who is thought to have been kite-surfing died at a beach amid the stormy weather.
RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: ‘With heavy snowfall affecting many parts of the south and east, we are asking drivers to think extremely carefully before setting out today.
‘Where roads remain open, conditions are challenging and unless you can be confident both you and your car are up to the task of some seriously wintry driving, staying at home is definitely the best option.
‘Our expert local patrols are working extremely hard to attend all drivers who are running into problems.’
Suffolk Police said the death of the man, who was found by passers-by on the shore at Walberswick beach, is not thought to be suspicious.
Police said it is believed the man, who was in his 50s, had been kite-surfing.
Snowfalls continued in Nottingham this morning as the town of Stamford, Lincolnshire, awoke to a wintry scene. The Met Office has forecast between three and 8cm of snow across Britain, with as much as 10-15 cm over the Lincolnshire Wolds
Footpaths have been cleared near Tower Bridge this morning as commuters head back to work
Rotherhithe in south east London saw a snow settle overnight along with eastern parts of England as well as Scotland
Southeastern Rail strongly advised passengers not to attempt to travel on its network today as it closed one of its Kent lines. Workers are making the streets safe for commuters in Bermondsey today
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: ‘The UK is in for a notably cold and snowy period over the next week,’ as seen in Bermondsey today
Amber warnings were in place across the East until 2pm today, while lesser yellow warnings will remain until Wednesday night
Dog walkers braved the elements near London’s City Hall on Monday morning. Strong winds could bring blizzards to eastern parts of the country
Early risers braved the snowy streets of south-east London today as the Beast from the East is set to last until Wednesday
Meteorologist Sarah Kent warned yesterday: ‘There will be significant disruptive snowfall across the South East.’ Pictured: Bermondsey today
Some parts of Britain could see more than 20cm of snow, with five to 10cm expected to settle in wider parts of the country
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue tweeted a dramatic image of a multi-vehicle crash between Tuxford and Worksop early this morning
There was a dusting of snow in Lincolnshire this morning – with the majority of snow expected to fall in eastern parts of the country
There will be strong easterly winds during this period which may lead to blizzard conditions and blowing and drifting of lying snow at times. Pictured: Rotherhithe this morning
Windscreens were covered in snow overnight in Great Chart, Ashford, as Southeastern Railway – which serves the entire county of Kent, advised passengers not to travel
Commuters had to wrap up warm in London as temperatures dropped below freezing during Storm Darcy
The Met Office has predicted significant, disruptive snowfall in London and eastern parts of the country until Wednesday
Parts of the England have woken up under a blanket of snow today, including Lincolnshire (left) and Great Chart, Kent (right)
Snow fell over Suffolk overnight as temperatures plummeted below freezing as Storm Darcy takes its grip on the country
Roads were prepared for traffic in Rotherhithe this morning amid warnings that some streets could be blocked by snow in the worse-hit parts of the country
Temperatures are expected to stay below freezing for parts of this week. Pictured: London this morning
Kent was hit by snow over the weekend, with more falling over Great Chart, Ashford on Sunday night
While council workers have cleared the streets for pedestrians, Public Health England is urging the public to check on older relatives to ensure they are safe and healthy during the cold snap
Daytime temperatures will stay in low single figures for much of the country over coming days, with some places staying below freezing and the bitter winds will make it feel even colder.
Storm Darcy has brought heavy snow to Kent overnight, with an amber warning weather until this afternoon stating some roads could be blocked by deep snow. Police were seen assisting a lorry in Maidstone this morning
Snow near Detling in Kent, where the eastern part of the county was subject to an amber snow warning this morning – which is more serious than a yellow one
Bermondsey in South East London has seen snow settle overnight – as Storm Darcy saw 22cm of the white stuff settle in Aberdeenshire on Sunday
Police have closed off part of a road in Kent this morning as they deal with a broken down lorry struggling with the elements
Cars at a showroom in Detling, Kent were blanketed with snow this morning, with more snowfall forecast for the rest of today
Vehicles travelling down Detling Hill braved snowy conditions on Monday morning – with more snow set to fall today