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New snow and ice alerts have been released as freezing conditions continue to create travel disruptions, school closures, and multiple significant incidents prompted by extensive flooding that has left many children stuck.
The Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) declared a major incident in response to the widespread floods across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland on Monday morning, following over 200 calls for assistance. Firefighters have freed vehicles trapped in floodwaters, evacuated residents from inundated homes, and rescued at least 17 members of the public.
The Lincolnshire Resilience Forum stated that a major incident was announced in Lincolnshire on Monday afternoon, with emergency services needing to rescue students trapped at a school in Edenham due to flooding.
In North Yorkshire, authorities reported the recovery of a man’s body on Monday from a flooded area in Beal, situated near Eggborough and Knottingley.
Officials believe he entered the water over the weekend. The man has been officially identified, but efforts to contact his family are ongoing; police indicated there are no suspicious circumstances related to this discovery.
The Met Office has issued three yellow warnings for snow and ice, which took effect across large regions of the UK on Monday afternoon and will remain in effect through Tuesday. A further yellow alert for snow will also be in effect on Wednesday.
A significant number of commuters experienced travel challenges during their first work commute of the new year, with major roads closed and train services interrupted due to heavy rainfall and melting snow resulting in flooding.
As of 4pm on Monday, the Environment Agency had issued 177 flood warnings, indicating imminent flooding, and 311 flood alerts, suggesting potential flooding may occur, active across England. Concurrently, National Resources Wales reported one flood warning and 18 flood alerts in effect.
On Monday, hundreds of schools were shut in regions such as Lancashire, Yorkshire, and northeast Scotland, marking what should have been the first day back for numerous students.
Manchester Airport’s two runways faced temporary closures on Monday morning due to heavy snowfall, but reopened later. Three flights were cancelled, and several other flights faced delays.
Additionally, travelers heading to Gatwick Airport were affected as tens of thousands of journeys on the M25 in Surrey experienced delays following a collision involving a lorry. The motorway was shut in the anticlockwise direction from junction 10 for the A3 to junction eight for Reigate after the lorry struck the central barrier and came to rest sideways across the roadway.
This fresh disruption follows the coldest night of the winter season so far, with a temperature of -13.3C recorded in Loch Glascarnoch in the Highlands, situated between Ullapool and Inverness, overnight on Sunday.
The Met Office has cautioned the public to prepare for additional ice and snow – exceeding 5cm in the most affected locations – after the weekend saw heavy snowfall and icy conditions throughout the country, leading to runway closures, cancellations of rail services, and key roads across northern England becoming obstructed due to vehicles and collisions.
Various stretches of A-roads across England were also interrupted on Monday due to the continuing severe weather conditions.
Notable closures include the A66 in Cumbria in both directions between the A1M and the M6 because of snow, and the A628 Woodhead Pass in South Yorkshire/Derbyshire in both directions between the A616 for Flouch and the A57 for Hollingworth due to flooding.
The A46 in Warwickshire was also closed in both directions between the A452 for Kenilworth and the M40 (junction 15) due to a collision, with National Highways reporting that “a car is alleged to have aquaplaned owing to flooding in the vicinity.” Aquaplaning occurs when a driver loses traction because a layer of water prevents their tires from adhering to the road.
Extreme weather has similarly led to widespread disruptions within the railway network.
Flooding has necessitated the suspension of all train routes between Derby and both Nottingham as well as East Midlands Parkway, impacting CrossCountry and East Midlands Railway services, with those companies similarly affected by flooding that has led to the closure of all lines between Peterborough and Leicester.
Great Western Railway reported its services between Bristol Parkway and Gloucester were operating at a decreased speed due to “heavy rainfall flooding the tracks,” while TransPennine Express stated severe weather was causing analogous issues for its operations between Barnetby and Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire.
Flooding has also restricted Transport for Wales operations between Manchester and North Wales to only occur between Warrington Bank Quay and Manchester.
A caution for snow and ice has been issued across the majority of southwest England and Wales, as well as parts of northwest England and the West Midlands, from 5pm on Monday until 10am on Tuesday.
A similar warning has been put in place for western and northern regions of Scotland from 4pm on Monday until midday on Tuesday, and in Northern Ireland from 3pm on Monday until 11am on Tuesday.
A distinct warning for snow has been noted for southern England on Wednesday from 9am until 11.59pm.
Frank Saunders, chief meteorologist at the Met Office, stated: “Hail, sleet or snow showers are anticipated to impact portions of Scotland and Northern Ireland, spreading to Wales and sections of northwest England this evening, then advancing to parts of southwest England, the Midlands, and southern England during the early hours of Tuesday.
“Rain or hail is more likely towards some western shorelines.
“Icy patches that develop overnight due to these showers, or the recent soggy conditions, may lead to some disruptions in travel.
“Alongside the ice, snow accumulations of a few centimetres above 200 metres may be observed, with the possibility of exceeding 5cm above 200 metres in Wales.
“The most intense snow showers may also generate temporary accumulations of 0-2cm at lower elevations. It is not feasible to specify precisely where this snow might settle, hence it’s vital for individuals to be prepared.”
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