Schools stay shut as Britain braces for more snow and ice today
Schools stay shut as Britain braces for more snow and ice today: Commuters face double chaos of ‘lethal’ icy roads and rail strikes after coldest night of year with bone-chilling -17C overnight
- Schools staying shut for a second day or opting for a later start time
- Parts of the UK continue to be beset by snow and ice on Tuesday
- Met Office provisionally recorded coldest night and day of the year on Monday
- There are fears commuters may be tempted to drive as strikes disrupt rail travel
Schools across the UK are staying shut for a second consecutive day as Britain braces for more snow and ice on the way.
Thousands of classrooms closed yesterday with children set work remotely as an Arctic freeze engulfed Britain.
On Tuesday, hundreds of schools stay closed or opted for later start times to ensure children and staff could safely make their way in during daylight hours.
The Met Office has issued a yellow snow and ice warning covering northern Scotland and north-east England from midnight on Tuesday until noon on Thursday.
Leo, eight, slides down a hill in the snow as the cold weather continue in Hertford on Monday
Eight year old Isaac was wrapped up warm as he played in the snow n Hertford on Monday
There is also an ice warning covering much of the South East, including London and Brighton until 11am on Tuesday.
Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said there will be heavy snow in some places again on Tuesday.
‘It’s the most devastating day of our lives’: Family’s tribute to hero Jack, 10, who ‘died trying to save three boys he didn’t know’ after they fell into frozen lake – as vigil marks tragedy in Solihull
The family a 10-year-old boy who died trying to save three others who had fallen through ice into a lake on Sunday said they were ‘devastated’ by his passing.
The boy, named locally as Jack Johnson, ‘ran and tried to save’ the other children – whom he did not know and who are all believed to be from one family – his aunt Charlotte McIlmurray wrote on Facebook.
Family of Jack Johnson (pictured here) say he jumped into the lake to try and rescue someone who had fallen through the ice
Mourners light candles next to floral and written tributes to the three boys who tragically died in the incident in Babbs Mill Park on Sunday
‘My nephew seen one go through the ice and he ran and tried to save them. We are just broken over it and to find out he died trying to save three lads he didn’t even know, that just sums him up, he was amazing.’
McIlmurray described the loss of Jack and the other boys as a ‘nightmare that two families can’t wake from’, adding that ‘the pain is unimaginable’ but said it would be ‘a million times worse’ for the other family.
‘It has been the most devastating day in our family’s life,’ another relative who wished to remain anonymous told The Telegraph.
The heartbroken community of Solihull gathered at Babbs Mill Park on Monday evening to pay tribute to the young boys.
Dozens of people, including lots of children, placed bunches of flowers, balloons and candles at the base of a tree in the park near Birmingham.
‘Coming into force at midnight tonight all the way through to lunchtime on Thursday, (there is a) large snow and ice warning covering the North East of England, the whole sort of northern portion of Scotland, as well as the Highlands and islands,’ he said.
He said there could be ‘as much as 15 to 20 centimetres of snow accumulating over high ground’.
Mr Claydon said northern Scotland could record even colder temperatures on Tuesday after breaking the record for the coldest night of the year on Monday.
‘In terms of temperature, we could see another very cold night, especially in parts of Scotland where we’ve got that lying snow,’ he said.
‘We saw minus 15C last night. We could see similar or potentially even colder tonight under clear skies with that snowfall lying in some places.
‘So a very cold night there but also broadly very cold across the whole of the UK, with widespread freezing conditions.’
Commuters faced travel chaos on Monday morning as large parts of the UK were hit by ice, fog and snow.
Drivers are being urged to avoid the roads where possible – as slushy snow turns to ice – creating potentially ‘lethal’ conditions.
Many local roads will be worse before they get better as a result of bitter weather predicted over the next few days.
The AA has experienced a 135 per cent surge in the number of people calling for advice after a crash over the weekend compared with the same time last year, The Times reports.
Rod Dennis from the RAC said their teams were ‘exceptionally busy’ on Monday, helping more than 7,500 motorists with breakdowns.
He added that this was 50 per cent more than what they would see on a typical Monday in December.
The Met Office provisionally recorded the coldest night and day of the year on Monday.
Braemer, in Aberdeenshire, was the coldest place in the UK, recording a low of minus 15.7C and a high of minus 9.3C, the lowest minimum temperature since February 2021 and the lowest maximum in 12 years.
The five next coldest temperatures all recorded in Scotland, including minus 13.1C at Balmoral.
Councils are reported to be using agency drivers to operate snow ploughs and ice gritters due to a national shortage of HGV drivers.
The Local Government Association reports that 1.4million tonnes of salt are being stored by local authorities ready to for roads this winter.
In Hertfordshire, the M25 came to a screeching halt after heavy snow led to cars being stranded and HGVs to jack-knife.
Up to 25 gritters were at work on the M25 at any one time on Sunday night according to National Highways, spreading 960 tonnes of salt and over 180,000 litres of antifreeze on the road surface.
Other affected routes were the M11, M2, M20, A21 and A249.
Heathrow Airport cancelled over 300 flights on Sunday night, while easyJet said it was doing ‘all possible to minimise disruption for our customers’.
The coming days will see a spate of strikes in the rail industry from RMT and other unions, with fears it will push commuters to use dangerous roads.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: ‘We’re expecting hazardous road conditions to continue into Tuesday following a major refreeze overnight. Those who have to use more rural roads that haven’t been gritted will need to exercise great care, delay or even abandon their plans.’
A damaged car with used airbags is left abandoned above Eastbourne after heavy snow
A Southeastern train makes its way through Ashford in Kent as rail services remain disrupted in the icy weather
December’s ‘Calendar of Chaos’ with strikes happening across several sectors
Royal Mail staff, nurses, paramedics, rail workers and Border Force officials will all stage walkouts over jobs, pay and conditions this month as Brits prepare for mayhem over Christmas.
December is being described as the ‘new winter of discontent’ – with bus workers, baggage handlers, environment agency staff and paramedics also taking action.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden called on unions to call off the ‘damaging’ strikes.
But the government is being urged to listen to workers’ demands, negotiate with unions and come to an agreement that will pause the disruption.
South East Coast Ambulance Service tweeted yesterday: ‘Please take extra care on the roads today.
‘As more ice forms, we’re likely to see a number of avoidable traffic collisions.’
How to check if your child’s school is shut TODAY: Full list here
Schools across the UK are staying shut for a second consecutive day as Britain braces for more snow and ice on the way.
Thousands of classrooms closed yesterday with children set work remotely as an Arctic freeze engulfed Britain, with yellow weather warnings in force after heavy snowfall turned into treacherous, icy conditions.
On Tuesday, some decided to stay closed or opted for later start times to ensure children and staff could safely make their way in during daylight hours.
Please click on each link to check the situation on schools in your county
Cambridgeshire
Cornwall
Cumbria
Devon
Derbsyhire
East Sussex
Essex
Gloucestershire
Hampshire
Herefordshire
Kent
Lancashire
Leicestershire – residents should check with their local school to see if it is affected by closures.
Lincolnshire
Norfolk
North Yorkshire – residents are advised to contact schools directly or tune into local radio stations for updates.
Nottinghamshire – schools will ‘usually inform parents directly if they have had to close or change arrangements due to severe weather’ according to the council. Parents are advised to contact the school.
Oxfordshire
Somerset
Staffordshire
Surrey – parents are advised to check your child’s school website for closures.
Warwickshire
West Sussex
Worcestershire
London – parents should check with their local council to see whether schools are open.
Source: Read Full Article