UK snow warnings to last until Saturday after -17C coldest night in 10 YEARS – and it could get worse
SNOW warnings are in place until Saturday after the coldest night in 10 years.
Temperatures plummeted to -17C last night – and the weather could get even worse as Storm Darcy continues to wreak havoc across the UK.
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Storm Darcy – dubbed the 'Beast from the East II' – has brought howling blizzards from Russia to the UK, with swathes of the country experiencing heavy snowfall.
A yellow weather warning remains in place across eastern parts of the UK, with the Met Office warning "snow showers could bring disruption to travel".
The alert covers most of the south east of England, as well as the Midlands, the North East and most of Scotland.
Further yellow snow and ice warnings are in place across the North East until midnight on Friday.
Towns could become “cut off” and widespread travel chaos is expected.
Health chiefs have also issued a cold weather alert for the whole of Britain, saying the chill could have "a serious impact on health".
A temperature of -16.7C was recorded in Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands on Tuesday morning – the lowest in the UK since December 2010.
Met Office spokesperson Nicola Maxey said the "bitterly cold" winds could mean temperatures fall even further tonight, with more snow expected throughout the week.
A separate amber weather warning covers central parts of Scotland today, as the country catches the brunt of the snow storm.
And temperatures are expected to plummet below 0C for most of the UK overnight.
Bus and rail travel has been disrupted with an amber weather warning in place for much of the central belt until 9pm.
ScotRail reported delays due to staff struggling to get to work, while Transport Scotland urged care following a number of accidents early on Tuesday.
Speaking on Good Morning Scotland, Transport Scotland manager Stein Connolly said: "We had 146 gritters out last night.
"All the trunk roads are open, but there are some places where it's just passable.
"There has been a couple of accidents – police are working to get these clear, but it's maybe better to leave it until a safer point in the day (to travel).
"We did have temperatures down to nearly minus 18 last night at Bannockburn in Stirling, so it has been a challenge.
"It's been minus seven, eight throughout the country last night."
He added that people should leave plenty of travel time for their journeys, and ensure extra space between cars.
Parts of Orkney are dealing with power cuts, with all schools in the area closed, even to children of key workers, due to the weather.
Areas including Edinburgh and Glasgow have already faced a loss of electricity supplies amid the wintry weather.
Roads over higher routes are expected to be particularly affected by the snow, and some rural communities might be cut off.
STV weatherman Sean Batty reported that Braemar in Aberdeenshire has had record levels of snow.
In a tweet, he said: "Now recording about 70cm (27.6in) of snow lying in Braemar.
"Record we hold for Braemar is 68cm (26.8in) back in 2001, so looks like that's gone.
"We're not going to stop there either, still more to come tonight & tomorrow. Stay safe."
Brits have been urged to stay inside, as the Met Office warned of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces.
A covidiot couple from London sparked a huge air-sea rescue operation when they drove 150 miles to wander along a storm-lashed beach.
They travelled to look at terrifying waves bigger than a double decker bus which threatened to sweep them to their deaths.
Rescue teams said it was among the worst weather conditions they had ever faced and were giving up hope of finding the couple alive as dusk approached.
Then, with darkness closing in, they suddenly appeared, strolling back arm-in-arm to the car park in Winterton, near Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, asking what had sparked the search drama.
The couple were condemned for their stupidity – and faced paying a police fine for breaking the Covid lockdown travel rules.
There were even demands that the Covid clowns should foot the bill for the rescue operation, costing an estimated £3,000, with volunteer teams putting their lives on the line to look for them in the bad weather.
Paul Garrod, chairman of the Caister independently-run lifeboat, said "There were 20ft rolling waves.
"It's the worst I've seen in 20-odd years, because we were so close into shore. It was horrendous."
'THE WORST IN 20 YEARS'
On the roads, a driver was rushed to hospital with serious injuries after a car skidded out of control and plunged down a bank.
It ended upside down in an icy, water-filled roadside ditch in Wisbech on the Lincolnshire-Cambridgeshire border.
Police and paramedics were scrambled after the vehicle careered off the icy A1101 Sutton Road in freezing weather.
Officers said the driver was taken to hospital with serious, but not life threatening injuries.
Yesterday, 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.
Emergency services have also told people to stay away from the sea after a kite surfer died after getting into trouble in the sea in freezing conditions.
The man – in his 50s – was helped by members of the public, but he tragically died at the scene.
The emergency services attended on Sunday at 3.20pm after reports a person was in trouble in the North Sea.
Suffolk Police believe the man had been kitesurfing at Walberswick Beach, near the tourist hotspot of Southwold.
Police confirmed his next of kin have been informed.
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".
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