UK weather: Snow blizzards, ice and flooding to cause power cuts and severe disruption
3 February 2021, 10:15 | Updated: 4 February 2021, 09:02
Hundreds of schools have already been forced to shut to vulnerable children as the North is hit by snow blizzards.
Up to six inches of snow are set to cover Britain this week, which could force schools to close and cause traffic chaos.
The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning as of 3am this morning which covers Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Harrogate and the surrounding areas.
Parts of Scotland are also under yellow weather warnings for most of this week, with forecasters predicting as much as 40cm of snow on the Grampians.
There are also warnings of power cuts, travel delays, while forecasters have said there is a good chance that some rural communities will also become completely cut off.
In the North East of England and parts of southern Scotland, heavy rain combined with snow means there is a risk of flooding today.
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The Environment Agency currently has 42 flood warnings in place.
Met Office chief meteorologist Frank Saunders said: "Further spells of snow will continue to affect parts of northern England and Scotland during Wednesday and Thursday.
"There could be continued travel disruption across northern trans-Pennine routes and the higher roads across the Southern Uplands and Grampians.
Stacey Solomon enjoys day in the snow with kids and Joe Swash
"Meanwhile, a period of heavy rain overnight into early Wednesday will result in rapid thawing of snow in places, particularly north east England, which may lead to a risk of flooding."
This comes after two hundred schools in Yorkshire - which are open to vulnerable children and those of key workers - have been shut after an amber snow warning with ‘potential risk to life’.
Police have been urging people to stay at home unless absolutely necessary as they may risk being stranded in the snow.
According to the BBC, travel chaos and road closures have forced some morning coronavirus vaccinations to be cancelled in North Yorkshire.
After heavy snowfall, First Bus said its services in Halifax were ‘currently suspended due to adverse weather conditions’.
As we head into the weekend, things are set to stay chilly, with continued snowfall in Scotland.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Mark Sidaway said: "Into the weekend snow will continue across much of Scotland, and is likely to increasingly fall to low levels before beginning to move south into northern and eastern England.
"We are likely to see some very large accumulations across higher parts of Scotland especially, with strong winds leading to significant drifting and blizzard conditions at times.
"Although amounts of snow across England are likely to be less, they could still cause some problems as we go into the weekend."
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