Heavy snowfall hits parts of UK

[P.K.]

Heavy snowfall hits parts of UK

Up to 14cm of snow has fallen in parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and south-west England, disrupting travel and closing hundreds of schools.

The BBC Weather Centre said 14cm of snow was reported at Aviemore, and 10cm in Northern Ireland and near Cardiff.

It said Northern Ireland and north-west Scotland were also suffering 70mph gales, exceeding 100mph on mountains.

More than 200 Welsh schools and around 100 in Scotland were closed. Over 4,000 Scottish homes have lost electricity.

A spokesman for power firm Scottish Hydro Electric said it had drafted in 50 extra engineers to help restore power to the affected homes.

Blocked roads

The Welsh school closures were largely in the south Wales valleys, Bridgend and Carmarthenshire, while in Scotland schools in the north-east and Northern Isles were affected.

Grampian Police have dealt with a series of accidents, and reported road closures around Braemar and Crathie, with other routes affected by drifting snow and heavy ice.

The Skye Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles.


A 50mph speed limit was put in place on the M4 in south Wales, and numerous roads in the Rhondda area were said to be impassable.

A South Wales Fire and Rescue spokeswoman said it was dealing with several road accidents.

Devon and Cornwall Police said there had been a lot of accidents and some road blockages due to snow across the South West.

A motorcyclist was killed in a crash at 0530 GMT in Cornwall, on the A394 between Sithney and Breague, near Porthleven.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4468830.stm

Hundreds stuck on snow-hit moor

Hundreds of people are stranded on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall following a crash which has closed a snow-hit road.

More than 100 cars and coaches are on the blocked road, following the crash, which involved dozens of vehicles.

Military helicopters have been requested to help the police deal with the incident, which follows the first snow of the winter in England.

There have been snowfalls in Devon, Dorset, Somerset, North Yorkshire and East Anglia.

In the Bodmin incident, the vehicles are stuck on the A30 road between Kennards House and Bodmin, near Jamaica Inn.

The snow has also brought Newquay airport to a halt, with staff saying the runway was closed to all air traffic.

'Absolutely treacherous'

In Devon, there were reports of snow up to eight inches (20cm) deep with road conditions hazardous and police warning people to only make journeys "if extremely necessary and in an appropriate vehicle."

Several crashes were reported in Dorset with a coach carrying 29 children stuck in the snow at Lyme Regis.

About two inches (5cm) of snow fell on the North Yorkshire Coast and North York Moors with more roads blocked.

Snowploughs were called out to help clear roads in Dorset, with the worst hit areas around Lyme Regis, Bridport and Charmouth.

A Dorset Police spokesman said: "The roads are absolutely treacherous and conditions are very bad. Vehicles are having difficulty getting up the hills."

Snowfalls in Somerset saw thousands of school pupils told to stay at home with more than a dozen schools closed across the county.

The Met Office issued a severe weather warning, predicting heavy snow and blizzards for several regions, while the Highways Agency advised drivers to prepare themselves and their cars and to slow down on roads.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4469720.stm

[KWT]

Well I can't match the west of the country but I did see a few flurries today, my eariliest bit of snow however light for a while, could see some more tonight hopefully, all eyes to my east.

[P.K.]

Nothing at all here, but possibly something overnight.

Heavy Snow
Affecting Bracknell Forest, Kent, Oxfordshire, Reading, Surrey, W Berkshire & Wokingham
Outbreaks of rain spreading from the northeast will turn to snow at times over higher ground making driving conditions dangerous. Motorists are advised to take care.

Issued by Met Office.
Valid from: Friday 25 November, 2005 at 23:00
Expires on: Saturday 26 November, 2005 at 07:00