Drivers are warned about snow and ice during rush hour in parts of the UK
Severe weather warnings are in place for northern England, the Midlands, north-east Wales, and parts of Northern Ireland until 2pm on Tuesday.
Motorists in northern England have been warned, and some train services have been cancelled due to the bad weather.
The Met Office has issued three yellow alerts for snow and ice in these areas.
National Rail said cold weather would affect some Northern Rail routes until at least 2pm on Tuesday, including the Bradford Interchange and Huddersfield line, and between Halifax and Hebden Bridge and Hull.
Merseyrail announced that the first train on each line in north-west England would run empty to check for snow and ice on the tracks.
Travelers were told to check their local rail apps or social media and plan their trips in advance.
Dan Suri, the chief meteorologist at the Met Office, explained: “A low-pressure system will move east on Monday night. This will bring snow to some areas between Monday evening and Tuesday morning, where cold air in the north meets milder conditions in the south. The snow is expected to happen during rush hour, causing possible travel delays across central parts of the UK on Tuesday morning. It will also be windy in the far south.”
Drivers were also warned, with National Highways issuing a severe snow warning for roads in the north-east and north-west of the country. Motorists were advised to be extra careful and avoid these areas if they can.
The affected roads were the M26 between junctions 21 and 23, the M1 in Leeds and Sheffield, and the M56 near Manchester.
This follows the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issuing the first amber cold weather health warning of the season.
The amber warning affects the east and north of England, the Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber. Yellow warnings will be in place for the south-east, south-west, and London from 8am on Tuesday until 6pm on Saturday.
The charity Age UK has warned that the cold weather could be dangerous for vulnerable people, especially older adults.
Dr. Agostinho Sousa from the UKHSA said: “This is the first cold weather alert of the season, but more will likely come as winter gets closer. It’s important to check on vulnerable friends, family, and neighbors, especially the elderly or those at higher risk, to make sure they’re ready for the cold weather.”
Caroline Abrahams, director of Age UK, said the charity was concerned that many older people are afraid to turn on their heating this winter because they lost their winter fuel payment.
“With high energy bills and food prices, it’s understandable that some may feel they need to cut back on food or turn off their heating, but staying in cold temperatures for too long can seriously harm older people’s health, especially if they already have health problems,” she said.
Abrahams stressed that it is very important for older people to stay “fit, warm, and well” by eating hot meals, drinking warm drinks, dressing warmly, and keeping windows closed while sleeping.
There is a yellow warning for snow and ice in Northern Ireland until 10am Tuesday. Another yellow alert lasts until 10am Wednesday in parts of Scotland, and a third is in place until 11am Tuesday for areas in the East Midlands, Yorkshire, and the north of England.
In these areas, there may be power cuts, transport disruptions, and the risk of injury from slipping on ice.
Published: 19th November 2024
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