UK snow update – Met Office RED warning prompts TERRIFYING Scotland alert – A RISK TO LIFE.
The highest level of weather warning has been issued for Scotland and Ireland as forecasters warn of ‘blizzard-like’ conditions.
A red alert for Munster and Leinster in the Republic of Ireland and the central belt of Scotland has been put out for heavy snow and strong winds.
Dublin, Kildare, Louth, Wicklow and Meath are also covered by a red warning, which was issued early on Wednesday morning.
The Met Office definition of a red warning is that ‘you should take action now to keep yourself and others safe from the impact of the weather’.
Public Health England (PHE) has urged people to plan ahead to ensure they have enough food and medicine.
Police across the country advised motorists to avoid driving if possible owing to poor visibility and treacherous conditions.
Three people were killed in a crash in Lincolnshire and a man died after a collision in Cambridgeshire on Tuesday morning.
There were several road accidents on Tuesday night and in the early hours of Wednesday and a number of roads have been cleared and reopened.
Disruption is expected to continue across rail operators c2c, CrossCountry, Northern, Greater Anglia and Stansted Express, Merseyrail, ScotRail, Southeastern, Southern, Virgin, Thameslink and Gatwick Express, South Western Railway, TfL Rail and London Overground.
Commuters are urged to check their routes before travelling.
Farnborough in Hampshire recorded a low of minus 11C (12.2F) on Tuesday night, but for most places the mercury hovered at between minus 4C (24.8F) and minus 7C (19.4F).
Forecasters predict the snow and freezing temperatures will continue, prompting the Met Office to extend some of its weather warnings. The red warning for parts of Scotland is in place from 3pm Wednesday to 10am Thursday.
Amber warnings covering parts of Wales, England and Scotland have been issued. A yellow warning covering vast swathes of the UK has been extended until 9am on Saturday.
Glasgow and Newcastle Airports said teams were busy clearing the runways to keep schedules running on time, and advised passengers to check the latest flight information.
