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Heavy overnight snow is causing disruption across the UK this morning as a cold snap continues to sweep the country over the first weekend of 2025, with two amber alerts still in place and a fresh warning issued.
Several major airports were forced to temporarily close their runways due to snowfall, leading to flight cancellations and delays. Leeds Bradford Airport’s is still shut, but Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon’s have now reopened.
National Highways warned that up to 25cm of snow as well as ice could affect roads in northern England, with some key roads facing closures.
The first amber warning for snow and rare freezing rain covering most of Wales and central England is in place until midday today, while another amber snow alert is in place across most of northern England until the end of the day.
Up to 40cm of snow is expected in the worst affected areas, while much of the warning area can expect 3cm to 7cm, the Met Office said, adding that there is also a risk of rare freezing rain.
The Met Office issued a new yellow weather warning for rain across southern England on Sunday, lasting until 9am on Monday, amid fears of flooding.
UK Health Security Agency cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place ahead of a week of low temperatures.
Cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place
UK Health Security Agency cold weather health alerts for all of England remain in place ahead of a week of low temperatures.
Amber alerts were issued on Thursday and will run until Wednesday, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.
Plumpton called off due to waterlogging after morning rain
Despite passing an initial morning inspection, Plumpton’s BetGoodwin Sussex National meeting was abandoned on Sunday due to worsening conditions.
Officials announced a precautionary inspection for 8.30am ahead of one of the track’s most high-profile fixtures of the season due to the forecast of heavy rain overnight.
While 25mm of rain fell, racing was initially given the green light. However, less than two hours later, the meeting was called off due to waterlogging.
Clerk of the course Marcus Waters said: “We were predicted five millimetres of rain between 8.30am and midday, which we thought we could handle, but we were already on 7.5 millimetres just before 10am.
“That much rain in a short space of time has left us with a few areas of false ground and we didn’t think it was safe anymore.
“We’re very disappointed. At 8.30am, we felt we had a good chance with the forecast how it was, but we got more rain than expected and it’s pushed us over the edge.
“It’s always a hard decision and it would have been the same whatever meeting it was. We have our processes and it was just unfortunate that it’s happened on a big day.”
Flood warnings and alerts issued across England and Wales amid fears of rapid thaw
A number of flood warnings and alerts have been issued across England and some of Wales amid fears of a rapid thaw following the snowfall and icy conditions.
The Environment Agency has issued eight flood warnings, where flooding is expected, and 107 flood alerts, where flooding is possible, in England this morning.
Meanwhile, Natural Resources Wales has in place three flood alerts.
Rail services impacted across the country amid extreme weather
Rail services have been impacted across the country amid the extreme weather.
Northern has advised passengers not travel as heavy snow causes issues on its network.
Avanti West Coast trains leaving Liverpool Lime Street may be cancelled or delayed due to difficulties at the depot after snowfall.
National Rail has advised passengers to check their journey before travelling amid the widespread disruption.
Watch: Simon Calder on wider travel disruption expected across UK due to 30cm of snowfall
Manchester airport: runways open, but dozens of cancellations
Dozens of flights to and from Manchester have been grounded after the airport was closed for three hours on Sunday morning.
Even though operations have resumed, many of the first wave of departures have been cancelled.
Britain’s biggest budget airline, easyJet has cancelled a dozen flights to and from destinations including Lisbon and Faro in Portugal, Prague and Sofia.
In addition, flights incoming from Munich, Vienna, Zurich and Helsinki could not reach Manchester and the outbound segments have been cancelled.
Beamish Museum in Co Durham closed for the day
Beamish Museum, the “Living Museum of the North”, says it will stay closed on Sunday.
The statement said: “It’s with a heavy heart that, due to the snowy conditions, we are unable to open the museum today (Sunday, 5 January 2025).
“We’re saddened to have to make this decision but the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers must always come first, and due to the weather conditions it just wouldn’t be possible to open.
“For anyone with a booking for our pantomime performances today, we’ll be sending you an email with further information. Thank you everyone for your understanding.”
Comment: My elderly mother can’t afford heating – she needs the winter fuel allowance
Even the most independent pensioners are finding the current conditions challenging.
My 73-year-old mother is no stranger to tough times; she found herself widowed after losing my dad to a gruelling battle with cancer and suffers from debilitating rheumatoid arthritis herself. She’s a powerhouse of strength and is fiercely stubborn, so it came as a shock when she recently told me how worried she was about heating her home this winter and her health fears during this severe cold snap.
Read more here:
In pictures: Heavy snow blankets parts of UK
Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas all cleared for Sunday racing
National Hunt racing resumed on Sunday after fixtures at Chepstow, Plumpton and Naas were all given the go-ahead following morning inspections.
Racegoers were left without any jumps or afternoon action on Saturday after freezing temperatures claimed the meetings at Sandown and Wincanton. Newcastle’s jumps card had already been abandoned on Friday, while a frozen track at Cork meant no racing took place in Ireland either.
Officials at Plumpton announced a precautionary inspection for 8.30am ahead of the track’s BetGoodwin Sussex National meeting due to the forecast of heavy rain overnight – and while 25mm fell, racing was given the green light.
Chepstow opted to take another look after an initial precautionary check at 7.30am and, with temperatures rising, the seven-race card did pass a second inspection at 9am, while the Grade One Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle is the feature event on a quality card at Naas.
A 7.30am inspection was called at the Irish track due to the threat of snow, but that failed to materialise.
Brendan Sheridan, clerk of the course for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, said: “We had no snow overnight, we’ve had 11 millimetres of rain and the ground is now soft, soft to heavy in places.”
Source: independent.co.uk
