BRITAIN is braced for another icy night with up to four more inches of snow to fall – as maps reveals the worst-hit areas.
The Met Office now has six yellow weather warnings in place across England and Scotland – up from three earlier today.
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The warnings for snow and ice cover large areas of southern England and the Midlands, including the capital – as well as Wales, Northern Ireland, east England, west Scotland and northern Scotland.
The warning for east England, where four inches of snow is expected to fall, is in place until midday tomorrow.
The rest remain in place until 10am tomorrow.
Scotland is set to see the most dramatic conditions, with a huge eight-inch dump in the north and temperatures potentially plummeting as low as -12C.
The Met Office has warned of possible power cuts, vehicles being stranded and rural areas becoming isolated as a result of the icy blast.
The “arctic chill” has already wreaked havoc for Brits today – with 140 schools forced to close in Wales, along with around 50 in the West Midlands and 20 in Derbyshire.
Those in parts of Wales, Liverpool and Derbyshire woke up to a dusting of snow first thing, which later spread to London around rush hour.
The roads have also been severely affected, including the M26 between J21-J23, the M1 between Leeds and Sheffield and the M56 at Manchester.
Thousands of train passengers have suffered disruption due to the conditions.
And the extreme weather even saw a Stagecoach bus in Aberdeenshire topple onto its side with a passenger on board.
This evening, Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said: “It will be bitterly cold through the next few days with some widespread and hard frost, also the risk of snow showers and ice.
“Wherever you are it will be very cold, as we start the day into Wednesday.
“If you are stepping out or driving this evening, watch out for frequent snow showers running down the east coast.
Areas affected in the Met Office’s weather warnings
- Southern England – until 10am tomorrow
- Midlands – until 10am tomorrow
- Eastern Wales – until 10am tomorrow
- South and North Wales – until 10am tomorrow
- Northern Ireland – until 10am tomorrow
- East England – until 12pm tomorrow
- Western Scotland – until 10am tomorrow
- Nothern Scotland – until 10am tomorrow
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“Much of the country will see starry skies overnight. The air is crystal clear and temperatures will fall very quickly.
“However, watch out for the snow and ice across central and northern areas of Scotland and down the east coast [of England] you can see a mix of rain, sleet, snow and hail.”
Later in the week, she warned of widespread rain showers and frost – but warmer temperatures during the daytime.
But the forecaster predicted this would “all change” into the weekend, with the weather becoming “very lively”.
Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued its first amber cold weather health alert of the season.
Along with the charity Age UK, it warned that the conditions could be dangerous for vulnerable people, including the elderly.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, from the UKHSA, said: “This is the first amber Cold Weather Health Alert of the season, but we can expect more as we approach winter, and it is vital to check in on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours to ensure they are well prepared for the onset of cold weather.”
Can you get time off work if your child’s school is closed due to snow?
TEMPERATURES have dropped, causing concerns about childcare if schools close.
Senior Consumer Reporter Olivia Marshall explains your rights.
Wintry weather may lead to school closures due to insufficient staff, unsafe sites, or travel difficulties.
Parents can take reasonable time off work to care for children, known as “dependant leave,” without facing disciplinary action.
Additionally, parents with children under 18 can take “parental leave” after a year of employment, up to 18 weeks before the child turns 18, though it may be limited to four weeks per year.
Generally, this leave is unpaid unless stated in your contract, but you can negotiate taking paid holiday.
For those without children, there’s no automatic right to paid leave due to snow, but flexible employers might allow work from home or use of holiday allowance.
If your workplace closes, you can’t usually have pay deducted.
For more information, visit the Citizens Advice website.
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