Snowfall in England, Scotland. and Wales

[P.K.]

I've seen reports of up to 45cm. We've had snow showers here (Reading) since Monday but it hasn't really been cold enough settle. (Max today here is 2.2C)

Drivers warned as snow continues

Difficult driving conditions will plague many motorists across the UK as snow and cold temperatures continue into Friday, forecasters have warned.

Sleet, snow and drifting could cause problems before warmer weather is due at the weekend, and up to a centimetre more snow could may fall in some areas.

Lincolnshire, the East Midlands and northern England have been the worst affected, with drifts up to 1m high.

More than 600 schools were closed across parts of the UK on Thursday.

Sleet or snow were forecast for Thursday evening across the Midlands and Lincolnshire, especially the Derbyshire hills and Staffordshire moors.

The Met Office also warned of icy roads and snow affecting Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

Blizzard conditions have set in on higher routes in northern England and drivers are advised not to venture out unless their journeys are essential.

An RAC patrolman spent eight hours trapped in snow at Rosedale Abbey, on the North York Moors, before being found by an RAF mountain rescue team at about 0600 GMT on Thursday.

BBC forecaster Rob McElwee said Thursday night would see less snow, but clearing skies would see ice in East Anglia and south-east England as well as central Scotland.

The weekend is expected to be less cold with far less snow.

On Thursday, school closures included:

* More than 130 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, and 109 out of 181 in South Yorkshire
* Around 100 in the East Midlands
* Sixty-six shut for a second day in Fife, after more than 400 Scottish closures on Wednesday
* Dozens in Kent and Lancashire
* A dozen in north Staffordshire
* In the east, 17 were shut in Norfolk, 20 in Northamptonshire and 21 in Suffolk
* In Northumberland and County Durham nearly 60 schools closed
* 14 in Wales


With schools closed and the weekend approaching, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents warned people to stay away from frozen waterways.

"It is vital that people do not step out on to frozen waterways. They should not even test the thickness of the ice with their toes," said RoSPA's Peter Cornall.

"If it gives way, you have almost no chance of survival in the freezing water."

The late winter cold snap is due to high pressures over Scandinavia and northern Europe and low pressures to the west of the UK, causing temperatures to plunge.


A few photos here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4293975.stm

All taken from BBC News.

You can see here how much colder the end of the month has been than the beginning. http://www.climate-uk.com/page2.html

[TexasStooge]

The snow events where you are last longer than the ones here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, yet we had 4 inches in 24 Hours. Go figure.

[P.K.]

It has been crazy over here, snow showers now over the last EIGHT days. I can't remember it snowing consecutively on so many days. Just happens to be snowing now.

Although I'd need a micrometer to measure what has actually settled here....

Sad story relating to this:

Boy dies under 'giant snowball'

A 10-year-old boy has been crushed to death by a giant snowball, police say.

Peter Strang had been playing with a friend when the snowball, reported to weigh a quarter of a ton, rolled down a hill and engulfed him.

The accident happened at about 1745 GMT on Saturday in Torphins, Aberdeenshire, Grampian Police said. There were no suspicious circumstances.

A police spokesman said the death was "the result of a tragic accident". They have not released further details.

Local minister Norman Nicoll told BBC Radio Scotland: "Torphins is a very close-knit community, so obviously the death of a very young and popular boy in such a tragic accident has left the community stunned and shocked.

Special assembly

"There is just a general sense of disbelief.

"The task now is really to help the family, especially to come to terms with their loss.

"It is going to affect the entire community because this young lad was a very popular boy and known by so many other children."

A special assembly was held at Torphins Primary School on Monday morning.

The head teacher, Irene Reid, said Peter had a great sense of humour and was always thinking about people less fortunate than himself.

A report is to be sent to the procurator fiscal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4303215.stm

GFS wants to keep it below the critical -5C line for quite a bit as well.

[P.K.]

And it continues, up to 12 days in a row with some form of snow now.

Already dropped to -1.4C here. Temps of -7 are possible tonight.

Icy weather means more disruption


The snow and ice made driving conditions treacherous in Kent

Emergency services in Kent have warned people not to make unnecessary journeys as freezing temperatures created dangerous driving conditions.

Several accidents were reported in the county with the M2 partly shut for some time after a crash in which a man died.

More than 460 schools in Kent were closed on Thursday with staff and pupils unable to travel.

Operation Stack saw the coastbound M20 closed at one stage from Maidstone to Folkestone, between junctions 8 and 13.

Weather forecasters said the temperatures could be as cold as minus six on Thursday night, with freezing temperatures expected to continue into Friday with more snow showers also predicted.

Kent Police advised people not to make unnecessary journeys and the ambulance service in the county said people should stay indoors.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: "All road users are asked to check the weather forecast and road conditions before they set out.

"In severe weather, delaying a journey by a few hours could make the difference between a completed trip and a difficult drive in poor conditions."


Operation Stack brought lorries on the snowy M20 to a standstill

The M2 was closed London-bound between junctions 5 and 6 until 1330 GMT after a collision in which an 18-year-old was killed.

The M20 was partially closed due to a jack-knifed lorry before Operation Stack, the traffic control move which turns the M20 near Dover into a lorry park, was introduced.

Phase two of the operation was later implemented, meaning the motorway was closed coastbound from Maidstone to Folkestone, though it re-opened between junctions 9 and 11 at about 1800 GMT.

Police said the move was necessary because of the weather and problems at the Channel Tunnel.

Public transport experienced delays with all Arriva buses in Kent cancelled.

South Eastern Trains said all services were running but said there were 30 minute delays across the network.

'Very cold again'

It said during the rush hour, priority would be given to trains heading from London to Kent.

Kent Police said the number of vehicles abandoned due to the icy conditions was also a problem.

The Highways Agency said all major routes had been treated by Thursday morning.

Nicky Bullett, from Kent County Council, said: "Unfortunately it's going to be very cold again tonight so where there are untreated roads, it will be like sheets of ice."

There were power cuts on the Isle of Sheppey, Faversham and surrounding villages as well as in the Maidstone area.

Court sittings in Maidstone were suspended because of the weather.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4313943.stm