Schools shut amid travel chaos as 600-mile ice blast freezes Brits

RECAP - Some parts of the UK saw up to 5cm of snow

Parts of the UK saw 5cm of snow on Friday as temperatures dropped.

A yellow weather warning for snow and ice remains in place on Friday and Saturday for the eastern coast of the the UK, stretching from Scotland to East Anglia. Ice warnings remain in place for Northern Ireland and south-west England.

Hilly areas including the North York Moors and parts of Scotland saw more snow on Friday, forecasters said.

Snow swept across the South West, parts of Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland on Thursday. A number of schools remained closed today.

Other yellow weather warnings remain in place until tomorrow morning

The Met Office has further yellow weather warnings in place, in addition to the one for most of the east coast.

"Showers are expected to move inland overnight leading to a risk of icy patches and also some snow over higher ground," the weather service says in relation to concern for Cumbria and southwest Scotland tonight and tomorrow.

And Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands are subject to a yellow weather warning for snow and ice.

Odds for White Christmas slashed but the Met Office unconvinced as yet

Forecasters predict cold from Europe will bring snow and ice and bookies’ odds on a white December 25 have shortened from 5-2 to 4-5.

But the Met Office says: "Temperatures are most likely to be near or above average overall, although this doesn't rule out some spells of cold weather and associated wintry hazards, though the chances of any prolonged spells of cold weather are low."

Weather maps forecast 750-mile blizzard dropping three inches of snow next week

It gave its verdict on its long-range forecast section of its website, which concerns Friday December 15 to Friday December 29.

Pretty picture-postcard scenes have been snapped across the UK this week, like this in County Durham (Craig Connor/ChronicleLive)

Met Office extends snow weather warnings as 600-mile ice blast freezes the UK

A 600-mile yellow weather warning for snow and ice has been extended to remain in place until 10am tomorrow.

The Met Office says: "Wintry showers will affect North Sea coastal districts of England and Northern Scotland during Friday evening and overnight. These are likely to fall onto frozen surfaces in places allowing icy patches to form. Additionally, showers will fall as snow inland, with 1-2 cm possible in places, chiefly over hills."

The weather warning concerns areas as far south as Kent. Overnight, icy patches will develop in several regions, particularly those along the North Sea coast.

For the full story, click this link.

A yellow weather warning for snow and ice will remain in place until tomorrow (PA)

Families enjoy the latest snowfall

With schools closed in many places, children are out having fun in the snow.

Pictures show youngsters enjoying the wintry showers.

(PA)

Snow forces school closures across UK

Parts of the UK are facing disruption due to snow and ice - with a number of schools confirming they will remain close on Friday, while others are set to either open late or close early because of severe weather conditions.

A yellow weather warning for snow and ice will remain in place on Friday for the eastern coast of the the UK, stretching from Scotland to East Anglia. Ice warnings remain in place for Northern Ireland and south-west England.

Today, more schools are either staying closed, opening late or closing early. For the full list of schools affected by the disruption, visit this link.

It is icy and cold in rural communities, like this one near Durham (Simon Woodley / SWNS)

Internet searches around ways to keep the house warm rise hugely

More people are turning to the internet to find ways to manage their energy bills this winter, with searches for "how to keep house warm" rising by 129 per cent in the past year alone, new stats shjow today.

Analysis of online UK data found searches for "energy saving tips" also increased by 53 per cent in the same time period.

Among the most popular searches over the past 12 months (since September 2022) are "cling film over windows", which has seen a 321 per cent increase in searches.

As well as "closing curtains to keep heat in", with a 300 per cent increase, and "drying clothes on the radiator", a search term which has risen by 181 per cent.

First photographs of snowfall today emerge

Among the first photographs the Mirror has seen of snowy scenes today, the Angel of the North is pictured in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. There is a fresh dusting of snow on Antony Gormley's contemporary sculpture and, in the background, a snowy landscape over the region can be seen.

Elsewhere, cars struggle in heavy snow in nearby North Tyneside and brave swimmers plunge into icy water in Hyde Park, central London, for an early-morning dip in other pictures.

The Angel of the North statue in Gateshead is covered in snow (PA)

Some Southeastern services suffer delays due to ice on track

Commuters face 30-minute delays as trains are currently unable to run between Dover Priory and Canterbury East.

A train has come to a stop near Bekesbourne, Kent, because it is unable to get power from the power supply because of ice on the line.

All lines are currently closed between these two stations and some services may be cancelled. Disruption is likely until at least 10am.

A Southeastern train makes its way through Kent amid wintry showers last year (PA)

National Highways offers advice to motorists travelling this weekend

For those who may be travelling on the roads this weekend, National Network Manager at National Highways, Dale Hipkiss, advised motorists to keep an winter kit in the car while driving.

"Keeping a kit of essential items like a torch and warm clothes, in your vehicle, can be vital in case you and your passengers become stranded," he said.

"Freezing conditions bring so many hazards such as snow and ice, so please ... plan ahead for your journey, check weather forecasts, and if weather conditions do become challenging whilst travelling, adjust your driving behaviour and take extra care.

"It's also a good idea for people to check (your) vehicles, such as tyres, coolant and oil levels, etc. before heading out to reduce the risk of breakdowns."

He added: "If you do unfortunately find yourself in an unsafe or vulnerable situation and need assistance, please contact the emergency services."

What is the forecast for Saturday?

The freezing temperatures continue tonight and tomorrow morning will be particularly foggy as a result, through until mid-morning for many across the Midlands and Yorkshire.

This will eventually lift but a fresh band of low pressure creeps in from the west and, by tomorrow night, Wales should see some snowfall.

It'll only be a dusting, in and around Wrexham, and may fall as drizzle on lower ground, especially coastal communities in west Wales. By Sunday morning, it'll have moved east, across the Midlands, but it's again unlikely to be heavy.

Pretty picture-postcard scenes have been snapped across the UK this week, like this in County Durham (Craig Connor/ChronicleLive)

Heaviest snowfall expected in parts of Scotland

Some parts of Scotland, including Scottish Highlands and Scottish Borders, could see more than 5cm of snow fall today.

Weather maps show the low pressure - and another strong northerly wind - make a slow journey southwards.

It means any significant snow won't reach parts of northeast England until mid-morning at the earliest. When it does fall, people in hilly areas in Cumbria and County Durham should be particularly vigilant, forecasters say. Elsewhere, it'll be foggy and damp, especially in eastern counties, such as Lincolnshire.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)'s amber cold health alerts remain in place until Tuesday

The UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office have issued amber cold health alerts in five regions - the East Midlands, West Midlands, North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber - until December 5, meaning "cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time".

It reminds us to be particularly aware of the vulnerable and elderly during this period.

More snow has hit the northeast of England (Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Roads are closed due to snow and ice - and accidents have been reported

In County Durham, police said snowy conditions led to some crashes on the roads.

The police and council have closed some roads, including rural ones along higher ground, such as in the village of Ushaw Moor, west of Durham.

What is the forecast for later today?

Some parts of the UK will see up to 5cm of snow fall on Friday - but it'll be dry and bright elsewhere.

The Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said: "For most of us it will be dry and bright. There will be some wintry showers over the hills.

"There could be 2cm to 5cm of snow for areas 100m to 200m above sea level, with rain falling at lower levels, particularly Northern Ireland and western Scotland.

"The North York Moors and parts of Scotland will likely get snow. There will be another widespread frost, with a max temperature of 5C across the South."

Snow covered rooftops are pictured in The City of Durham (Craig Connor/ChronicleLive)

What to expect if you are in the affected weather warning area this morning

The Met Office has issued guidance on what to expect for those caught in the yellow weather warning areas.

For the eastern areas of the country they said people should prepare for:

• Some roads and railways likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services
• Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths
• Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces

For Northern Ireland the national forecaster said people should expect:

• Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, increasing the chance of injuries and accidents

And in the south west where another warning is in place until 10am they said:

• Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, leading to an increased chance of accidents or injuries

Weather warning for snow and ice covers length of the country

A weather warning for snow and ice is in place today across huge swathes of the country.

The Met Office issued the warning from 5pm yesterday until 11am this morning and is in place from the northern tip of Scotland all the way to just outside Chelmsford in the south.

Forecasters said of the warning: "Showers, wintry in places, will continue to affect northern and eastern Scotland and eastern England through Thursday evening and overnight into Friday morning. These are likely to fall onto frozen surfaces allowing icy patches to form.

"From approximately the Humber northwards, showers will often fall as snow inland, with up to 2cm possible in places, and perhaps as much as 5 cm over high ground. Further south, any snow accumulations are more likely to be restricted to higher ground."