Grab these further blankets! Britain braces for coldest evening of winter as Arctic blast plunges temperatures to -20C with extra snow warnings on means – after houses and caravan parks left devastated by extreme flooding
Britain faces its coldest weather in four years this week as temperatures plunge to -20C with more snow on the way and dozens of people rescued from flooding.
Minimum temperatures of -3C (27F) to -10C (14F) are expected widely across the UK tonight, before falling to -16C (3F) in areas still with snow on Wednesday night.
Lows of -20C (-4F) are then forecast in the Pennines and snow-hit areas of Scotland on Thursday night. This would be the UK’s coldest night since February 11, 2021 when Braemar in Aberdeenshire fell to -23C (-9F), which at the time was a 15-year low.
The UK Health Security Agency has imposed an amber cold health alert for England until this Sunday amid ‘significant impacts across health and social care services’.
The Met Office has also warned of further severe conditions, with a snow and ice warning in place for parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland until 12pm tomorrow.
A separate snow alert for southern England, including South London, runs tomorrow from 9am until midnight with up to 4in (10cm) expected over higher ground.
Forecasters warned of cancelled trains and flights, drivers becoming stranded in the snow, power cuts and even the potential for rural communities to become cut off.
Just yesterday, it was Britain’s coldest night of winter so far with -13.3C (8.1F) at Loch Glascarnoch in the Highlands – but this will likely be beaten in the next few days.
Meanwhile dramatic video showed a daredevil using a wakeboard to surf along a flooded country road in Leicestershire as he was pulled by a vehicle driving through.
A tractor clears a path in Northumberland today as weather warnings for snow remain in force
A man is rescued from a flooded caravan park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
MET OFFICE WARNINGS: A snow and ice warning for Scotland runs from 12pm today until 12pm tomorrow, and for Northern Ireland from 3pm today until 12pm tomorrow. A separate snow alert for southern England, including South London, will be active tomorrow from 9am until midnight
The Environment Agency imposed 122 flood warnings and 213 alerts across England this afternoon, while National Resources Wales issued one warning and six alerts.
It comes as people living at caravan parks near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire were urged to act now, with a large-scale evacuation required to save lives.
Heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt prompted the Environment Agency to issue a ‘danger to life’ severe flood warning for the River Soar.
One man was rescued from a caravan in Proctors Park, Barrow upon Soar, on a raft this morning.
And two people had to be rescued from flood water by firefighters on Leicester Road in Leicester yesterday afternoon.
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said as of 6am today, 59 people had been rescued – including the two in Leicester Road, who were attempting to walk through flood waters and lost their footing.
It added that firefighters and paramedics attended because the people had to be rescued with a water raft and had sustained some injuries.
In North Yorkshire, police said the body of a man had been recovered yesterday from an area of flooding in Beal, near Eggborough and Knottingley.
Scores of flood warnings remain in place across England as fresh snow flurries hit London and Manchester this morning.
Hundreds of schools have been closed across the UK, with more than 170 shut in Bradford, as well as more than a dozen in Lancashire.
Met Office chief forecaster Jason Kelly said: ‘With cold weather persisting across the UK this week we have a number of severe weather warnings for wintry hazards.
‘Snow showers will continue to fall over Scotland, Northern Ireland and into Northern Wales and northern England too. Where surface water and snow freeze overnight there is a risk of ice as temperatures widely dip below freezing.
A dog walker makes his way through snow in Northumberland this afternoon
Qasim Abdullah walks through his flooded home in Loughborough, Leicestershire, today
Glenshee Ski Centre is pictured today as weather warnings for snow and ice are in force
Heavy snowfall on the high street at Saddleworth in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today
Qasim Abdullah talks to a journalist through the window of his flooded home in Loughborough
A drone view shows snow covering the rooftops of houses in Greater Manchester this morning
Aberdeen Airport paused flights amid ‘freezing conditions’ today as ploughs cleared the snow
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
A tractor clears snow at Glenshee Ski Centre in Scotland today as severe weather continues
Difficult driving condtions today for drivers with roads flooded near Chelmsford in Essex
An aerial view of flooded streets and fields in the Leicestershire village of Quorn today
Snowfall on the high street at Saddleworth in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today
Homes stand in flood water today after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks in Loughborough
Skiers and snowboarders taking to the slopes at Allenheads ski club in Northumberland today
Light snow falls on a residential street in Kilburn, North West London, this morning
A man pulls a sledge at Glenshee Ski Centre in Scotland today during the severe weather
Vehicles in flood water today after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks in Loughborough
‘There will however be good spells of sunshine for those away from northern coasts, though it’ll still feel cold in the northerly breeze.’
Experts also warned of an ongoing flood risk due to the combination of heavy rain and snow melt.
Stefan Laeger, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: ‘The recent heavy rain combined with melting snow means it is probable significant river flooding will continue in Leicestershire today, with minor river flooding probable in some other parts of the country, continuing through to Thursday for some larger rivers.
‘Environment Agency teams continue to be out on the ground, operating flood defences, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding, issuing flood warnings and supporting those communities affected.
‘We urge people to remain vigilant over the next few days and advise anyone travelling to be especially careful and urge people to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through flood water as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.’
Skiers at Glenshee Ski Centre today as the Met Office issued further weather warnings
Snow surrounding the Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool this morning
Rescuers in floodwater at a caravan park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
Bristol Airport suspended all flights for a period this morning due to the heavy snow conditions
Homes stand in flood water today after the Grand Union Canal burst its banks in Loughborough
Flooding between Capenhurst and Hooton railway stations in Cheshire this morning
A drone view of snow on the Owley Wood housing estate in Weaverham, Cheshire, today
People walk across London Bridge this morning amid the cold weather and rainfall today
Qasim Abdullah talks to a journalist through the window of his flooded home in Loughborough
Snowfall on the high street at Saddleworth in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today
A Volvo crashed in Warrington, Cheshire, today as snowfall continues to affect Britain
A snow plough driver at the closed snow gates on the A93 in Spittal of Glenshee today
The Met Office is also expecting further snow could fall parts of southern England for a period tomorrow, although this remains unconfirmed despite a warning being in place.
Mr Kelly said: ‘Weather conditions will start to change from the southwest on Wednesday, with fronts from the Atlantic bringing milder air along with moisture.
‘As this moisture encounters the cold air, snowfall is expected particularly over higher ground and away from the coast.
‘However, there is still uncertainty about how far north these fronts will reach. They could either skirt the south or move into southern England.
‘Currently, a snow warning is in place, but it is not guaranteed. The situation is being closely monitored. As the forecast is finely balanced, do stay up to date with the latest forecast for your area.’
Thursday and Friday will bring continued low temperatures with the Met Office saying snow and ice warnings were ‘likely to be issued as confidence in the most likely impacted areas increases’.
Flooding at a caravan park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire this morning
A wintry scene in Northumberland today as weather warnings for snow and ice are in force
Flooded fields in Glen Parva, Leicestershire, today amid weather warnings for snow and ice
Skiers are seen at Glenshee Ski centre in Scotland today during the severe weather
Snow in Glenshee, Perthshire, today as weather warnings for snow and ice remain in force
The Little Venice caravan park in Yalding, Kent, is surrounded by rising flood water today
Skiers and snowboarders taking to the slopes at Allenheads ski club in Northumberland today
An Amur tiger in the snow at Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside today
It added that fronts moving in from the South West on Friday and Saturday could also bring more snow, with the possibility of further warnings.
Met Office deputy chief forecaster Chris Almond said: ‘Thursday will see another cold night, with potentially the lowest temperatures of the Winter so far, -15C or so is possible in locations with lying snow in Scotland or northern England.
‘In the early hours of Friday, a front arriving from the west will encounter the cold air in place over the UK.
‘This could bring further sleet or snowfall for some regions in the south and west, as well as a risk of ice for a time as it moves north-eastwards into central parts, but the extent of this is still uncertain.’
He added that by Sunday, milder air will have moved in across much of the UK, ‘meaning rain is more likely than snow as we get to the end of the weekend’.
Snowfall on the high street at Saddleworth in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today
Flooding at a caravan park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire this morning
A view of flooding around Pulborough in West Sussex this morning
Flooded fields in Wanlip, Leicestershire, today as weather warnings remain in force
A man wearing waders carries a dog at The Little Venice caravan park in Yalding, Kent, today
Flooding at a caravan park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire this morning
Vehicles in flood water near the River Devon in Bottesford, Leicestershire, this morning
A snow plough driver at the closed snow gates on the A93 in Spittal of Glenshee today
Snowfall on the high street at Saddleworth in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
Heavy snow falls in Hulme, Greater Manchester, this morning as the severe weather continues
An aerial view of flooded streets and fields in the Leicestershire village of Quorn today
Flooding at a caravan park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire this morning
A car drives through floodwater in Yalding, Kent, this morning
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
Flooded fields in Glen Parva, Leicestershire, today amid weather warnings for snow and ice
Flooding at a caravan park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire this morning
An aerial photograph taken by drone shows the sun rising behind the Royal Liver building today
Flooding between Capenhurst and Hooton railway stations in Cheshire this morning
Light snow on the ground in the Oxfordshire village of Dunsden this morning
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
Flooded fields in Glen Parva, Leicestershire, today amid weather warnings for snow and ice
Mr Almond continued: ‘Northern Ireland and Western Scotland are most likely to see some showery outbreaks of rain and breezy conditions through Sunday, with conditions further south and east drier and more settled.’
BBC lead weather presenter Simon King issued a forecast for even lower temperatures, writing: ‘Where there is still snow cover, it could be as cold as -14C to -16C, making Wednesday the coldest night of winter so far.
‘Thursday night will be colder still. Over the Pennines and the snow fields of Scotland, we are expecting minimum temperatures to be -16C to -20C.’
Yesterday, a critical incident was declared by East Midlands Ambulance for the first time ever, with flooding partly responsible for the ‘level of escalation’.
A major incident was declared by authorities in Lincolnshire last night, with a warning that more flooding could occur today.
Camels in the snow at Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside today
Vehicles in flood water near the River Devon in Bottesford, Leicestershire, this morning
A snow plough driver at the closed snow gates on the A93 in Spittal of Glenshee today
A view of flooding around Pulborough in West Sussex this morning
People walk across London Bridge this morning amid the cold weather and rainfall today
Skiers and snowboarders taking to the slopes at Allenheads ski club in Northumberland today
Flooded fields in Wanlip, Leicestershire, today as weather warnings remain in force
A drone view shows snow covering the rooftops of houses in Greater Manchester this morning
An aerial view of flooded streets and fields in the Leicestershire village of Quorn today
Skiers and snowboarders taking to the slopes at Allenheads ski club in Northumberland today
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
Snow gates are closed on the A93 near Glenshee in Perthshire this morning
Vehicles in flood water near the River Devon in Bottesford, Leicestershire, this morning
A car drives past a van stranded in floodwater in Yalding, Kent, this morning
A man wearing waders carries a dog at The Little Venice caravan park in Yalding, Kent, today
Snowfall on the high street at Saddleworth in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today
Flooding at a caravan park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire this morning
The Little Venice caravan park in Yalding, Kent, is surrounded by rising flood water today
A view of flooding around Pulborough in West Sussex this morning
People walk across London Bridge this morning amid the cold weather and rainfall today
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
An aerial view of flooded streets and fields in the Leicestershire village of Quorn today
Snow on the ground at Pier Head in Liverpool today as weather warnings remain in place
Lincolnshire Resilience Forum said 40 flood warnings and 29 flood alerts were in place across the county, with reports of 62 properties ‘internally flooded’.
Lincolnshire Resilience Forum said in a statement: ‘We are keeping a really close watch on this as it develops because we know that there might potentially be more flooding, particularly in areas which may be affected by tidal waters.’
It said emergency services were on standby at Greatford, near Stamford, to monitor the West Glen River, which it said threatened to inundate dozens of properties in the area.
Neil Monteith, 49, owns a caravan on the front row of the Proctors Pleasure Park, near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire, which was surrounded by floodwater today.
He said: ‘(The water) is the highest I’ve seen it, I’ve never seen it this bad before.’
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
Snow in Glenshee, Perthshire, today as weather warnings for snow and ice remain in force
Flooding at a caravan park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire this morning
An Andean bear in the snow at Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside today
A drone view of the River Weaver in Weaverham, Cheshire, today following snowfall
Vehicles in flood water near the River Devon in Bottesford, Leicestershire, this morning
A man wearing waders carries a dog at The Little Venice caravan park in Yalding, Kent, today
An aerial view of flooded streets and fields in the Leicestershire village of Quorn today
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
Flooding between Capenhurst and Hooton railway stations in Cheshire this morning
The Oxfordshire village of Dunsden woke up to a smattering of snow this morning
Snow gates are closed on the A93 near Glenshee in Perthshire this morning
Baboons in the snow at Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside today
The Little Venice caravan park in Yalding, Kent, is surrounded by rising flood water today
Flooded fields in Wanlip, Leicestershire, today as weather warnings remain in force
Flooded fields in Glen Parva, Leicestershire, today amid weather warnings for snow and ice
A van stranded in floodwater in Yalding, Kent, today as warnings remain in force
Skiers and snowboarders taking to the slopes at Allenheads ski club in Northumberland today
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
Snowfall on the high street at Saddleworth in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today
People walk across London Bridge this morning amid the cold weather and rainfall today
A view of flooding around Pulborough in West Sussex this morning
A frosty start to the day in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, today as warnings remain in place
Vehicles in flood water near the River Devon in Bottesford, Leicestershire, this morning
Andean bears in the snow at Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside today
Mr Monteith added that he no longer lives in the caravan and only keeps furniture inside but said that it is ‘more than likely’ damaged.
A woman who lives near the Proctors Pleasure Park and did not wish to be named said: ‘They put in new flood defences – it used to flood all the time then it stopped, but this is unprecedented.
‘It’s a flood plain, that’s what it’s for but they build houses on it and nobody will acknowledge it or accept it.’
Yesterday, around 50 pupils were evacuated from a school in Lincolnshire.
All roads leading to Edenham Primary School were flooded, though the school remained safe because it is on higher ground.
Today, road and rail links have been closed including the A1 in Lincolnshire – which is closed between the B6326 near Newark-on-Trent and the B1174 near Grantham, according to National Highways.
Snowfall on the high street at Saddleworth in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today
Snow surrounding the Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool this morning
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
Snow on the ground at Pier Head in Liverpool today as weather warnings remain in place
Vehicles in flood water near the River Devon in Bottesford, Leicestershire, this morning
An aerial view of flooded streets and fields in the Leicestershire village of Quorn today
Flooding between Capenhurst and Hooton railway stations in Cheshire this morning
Skiers and snowboarders taking to the slopes at Allenheads ski club in Northumberland today
A baboon in the snow at Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside today
Snowfall on the high street at Saddleworth in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today
Snow gates are closed on the A93 near Glenshee in Perthshire this morning
A frosty start to the day in Dunsden, Oxfordshire, today as warnings remain in place
Severe flooding at Proctor’s Pleasure Park near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire today
A man wearing waders carries a dog at The Little Venice caravan park in Yalding, Kent, today
The Oxfordshire village of Dunsden woke up to a smattering of snow this morning
People walk across London Bridge this morning amid the cold weather and rainfall today
Vehicles in flood water near the River Devon in Bottesford, Leicestershire, this morning
An Iberian wolf in the snow Knowsley Safari Park in Merseyside today
Snowfall on the high street at Saddleworth in Oldham, Greater Manchester, today
Snow in Handforth, Cheshire, today as weather warnings for snow and ice are in force
And Great Western Railway said flooding has closed the line between Liskeard and Looe in Cornwall.
Manchester, Bristol, Aberdeen and Liverpool John Lennon airports were forced to suspend flights earlier today because of the conditions.
It comes as the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) called for the Government to take action to prepare fire and rescue services for flood response following widespread flooding.
Unlike the rest of the UK, fire and rescue services in England do not have a statutory duty to respond to flooding, meaning that central Government does not provide secure funding for national flood resilience and response, the FBU said.
The FBU wrote to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in November, calling for ‘the UK to be made resilient to flooding with a statutory duty and investment’.
