Flights in and out of Bristol Airport have been suspended on Tuesday morning after the runway was closed following a snow and ice storm that has caused travel chaos
Bristol Airport has put a halt to all flights this morning due to dangerous travel conditions caused by heavy snowfall in the area.
The airport briefly closed two days ago for similar issues, but reopened within hours. However, due to heavy rain and snowfall sweeping across the country, the airport has closed its runways completely. The weather forecast predicts more sleet and rain over the next few days, with temperatures reaching highs of 5C, and lows of -1C, according to the Met Office.
Chaos ensued in the skies as planes due to land at the airport earlier have been forced to circle away mid-air. Adding to this, those scheduled to depart this morning have not left the airport and may not be able to.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice across the region yesterday (January 6). The warning is in place until 10am today, meaning flights could be affected all day.
Locals are being told to brace for disruption as sleet and snow are forecast to hit all throughout the day, and travellers asked to check flight information before making the journey to the airport. Roads and traffic monitoring site, Inrix, reported flights from Bristol airport had been stopped.
It said: “Flights suspended at Bristol Airport due to bad weather. Social media reports suggest snow on the ground. Live flight data that no flights have left the airport and the first arrivals are not due till 7am. Passengers should check their flight before travelling to the airport.”
On X, Bristol Airport wrote: “Passenger announcement, due to the ongoing weather conditions all flights have been currently suspended until 07:30, further announcements will be made once information is available.”
There is no indication on when flights will resume as normal. Airports are not the only areas being affected, with several schools across the UK closing due to severe weather.
With Britain bracing for more snow and rain, Frank Saunders, Met Office Chief Meteorologist, warned: “Icy stretches which develop overnight as a result of these showers, or the recent wet conditions, could bring some disruption to travel. In addition to the ice, we could see snow accumulations of a few cm above 200m, with a chance of greater than 5cm above 200m in Wales.”
The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for snow and ice in several major towns and cities, including Manchester, Cardiff, Oxford, Belfast and Inverness, until midday today. Furthermore, forecasts indicate another frontal system moving along the English Channel on Wednesday, which may bring 5-10cm of snow to areas along the south coast and southeast.
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