Ice warnings in place across UK before Storm Goretti set to bring heavy snow
Disruptive snow, wind and rain could hit parts of southern England this week, as an Atlantic low-pressure front meets an Arctic air mass.
The Met Office said that even the south may see snow on higher ground on Thursday and Friday.
Northern and central areas of England could face more snow, with rain and strong winds, depending on the path of an approaching Atlantic low-pressure system.
Forecaster Aidan McGivern said in a video posted on the Met Office’s X account that there is a 20% chance the system takes a northern route, which would bring widespread ‘disruptive’ wind and rain to much of England and Wales, and possibly more snow in northern England, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland.
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But he said there was a 30% chance that the front moves through northern France, bringing snow to southern counties in England, especially in higher areas.
The most likely outcome is wind and rain in the southern parts of the UK, with central England seeing the risk of disruption from snow, he added.
Hundreds of schools, mainly across Wales and Scotland, were closed yesterday, where drifting snow and ice have left travel virtually impossible in northern areas.
On Monday, passengers were left stranded at airports in Manchester, Liverpool, Aberdeen and Inverness.
The Met Office is forecasting further and ‘frequent’ spells of ‘heavy’ snow in parts of Scotland, covering Aberdeen, Aviemore in the Cairngorms, and Ullapool, Ross-shire.
Rain turning to snow will hit Scotland and northern England on Tuesday, with 1–5 cm likely in northern England and up to 10–15cm in central and eastern Scotland, the Met Office said.
Two amber snow warnings have been issued in the northern parts of Scotland until yesterday evening, while there are also yellow snow and ice warnings across southwest England, northern England, eastern England and Wales.
A yellow ice warning is in place in Northern Ireland.
A yellow warning means some disruption is possible, such as travel delays, but many people can continue with their daily routine, according to the Met Office.
An amber warning indicates a higher risk, with severe weather likely to cause travel disruption, power cuts and the potential risk to life and property and people are advised to take precautions.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber cold health alerts for England as an early warning that adverse temperatures are likely to affect health and well-being, running until Friday.
Overnight, temperatures will once again fall below freezing for much of the country, with the lowest temperatures overlying snow possibly dipping to minus 12C, the Met Office said.
The Met Office has warned that the heavy snow and freezing temperatures could put rural communities at risk of being cut off, while mobile phone coverage may be impacted by the weather.
It also warned of travel disruption to road, rail and air as public transport services may be cancelled.
A Met Office spokesperson said: ‘Heavy snow showers will become more frequent and may merge to give longer spells of snow at times.
‘The areas and period covered by this warning are when the heaviest and most disruptive snow is thought most likely during the current cold spell, with existing yellow warnings covering a wider area and a longer period.’
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel said: ‘Flight delays or cancellations due to snow can be extremely frustrating, but airlines still have a duty of care to passengers, and must provide clear information about their rights to assistance or a refund.
What are my rights if my flight has been cancelled?
In the UK and EU, airlines must look after you if your flight is delayed or cancelled.
This includes everything from meals and accommodation to an alternative flight if necessary.
Citizen’s Advice says that airlines should also give impacted passengers access to phone calls and emails, and, if they offer you a place to stay, organise the journeys between the hotel and the airport.
Sometimes, the airline will cover this by handing you vouchers at the airport. When in doubt, keep any receipts for expenses and claim them back afterwards from the airline.
But an airline will only cough up money for ‘reasonable’ expenses.
The hotel minibar or penthouse suites are not up for grabs.
If you didn’t book with a UK or EU airline, you’ll need to check their terms and conditions. However, for the most part, airlines should provide meals and accommodation as appropriate.
When am I eligible for this support?
Whether you’re eligible for the above depends on the distance of your flight and how long you have waited:
- For long-haul (more than 3,500km over four hours or more), it’s four hours or more.
- For short-haul (up to 1,500km over two hours or less), you must have been waiting for two hours or more.
- For medium-haul (between 1,500km and 3,500km over two to four hours), it’s three hours or more.
‘If you are flying with a UK or EU airline, or due to depart from a UK or EU airport with any carrier, you’ll be entitled to food and drink during delays of over two hours for short-haul flights, three hours for medium-haul and four hours for long-haul. If you are stuck overnight, you are entitled to accommodation too.
‘If your flight is cancelled, you also have the choice of being refunded or rerouted on the next available flight. If you choose the latter, then your airline must get you to your destination as soon as possible – including with a rival carrier, if necessary.’
Which schools are closed today?
You can find out if your school is closed on your local council website or by contacting your school directly.
We’ve gathered a list of schools that confirmed last night they won’t be opening today:
School closures in Staffordshire
- All Saints Church of England Primary, Ranton
- Wood Lane Primary School
School closures in Aberdeenshire
- Aberchirder Primary School
- Aboyne Academy
- Aboyne Primary School
- Alehousewells School
- Alford Academy
- Alford Primary School
- Anna Ritchie School
- Arduthie School
- Arnage School
- Auchenblae School
- Auchnagatt School
- Auchterellon School
- Auchterless School
- Ballater School
- Ballogie Nursery
- Banchory Academy
- Banchory-Devenick School
- Banff Academy
- Banff Primary School
- Barthol Chapel School
- Bervie School
- Boddam School
- Bracoden School
- Braemar School
- Buchanhaven Primary School
- Burnhaven School
- Catterline School
- Clerkhill School
- Cluny School
- Craigievar School
- Crathes School
- Crathie School
- Crimond School
- Crossroads Nursery, Durris
- Crudie School
- Cultercullen School
- Dales Park School
- Daviot School
- Drumblade School
- Drumoak School
- Dunecht School
- Dunnottar School
- Durris School
- Echt School
- Ellon Academy
- Elrick School
- Fetterangus School
- Fettercairn School
- Finzean School
- Fishermoss School
- Fordyce School
- Forgue School
- Fraserburgh Academy
- Fraserburgh South Park School
- Fyvie School
- Gordon Primary School
- Gordon Schools (The)
- Gourdon School
- Greenacres Nursery
- Hatton Fintray School
- Hatton School, Cruden
- Hill of Banchory School
- Hillside School
- Insch School
- Inverallochy School
- Inverurie Academy
- Johnshaven School
- Keig School
- Keithhall School
- Kellands School
- Kemnay Academy
- Kennethmont School
- Kincardine O’Neil School
- Kinellar School
- King Edward School
- Kininmonth School
- Kintore School
- Lairhillock School
- Largue School
- Laurencekirk School
- Logie Durno School
- Longside School
- Lumphanan School
- Lumsden School
- Luthermuir School
- Macduff Primary School
- Mackie Academy
- Marykirk School
- Maud School
- Mearns Academy
- Meethill School
- Meldrum Academy
- Meldrum School
- Methlick School
- Midmar School
- Midmill School
- Mill O’ Forest School
- Mintlaw Academy
- Mintlaw School
- Monquhitter School
- Monymusk School
- New Deer School
- New Pitsligo and St John’s School
- Newburgh Mathers School
- Newtonhill School
- Old Rayne School
- Ordiquhill School
- Oyne School
- Peterhead Academy
- Pitfour School
- Pitmedden School
- Port Erroll School
- Portlethen Academy
- Portlethen School
- Portsoy School
- Premnay School
- Rathen School
- Rayne North School
- Redmyre School
- Rhynie School
- Rosehearty School
- Rothienorman School
- Sandhaven School
- St Andrew’s School, Inverurie
- St Combs School
- St Cyrus School
- St Fergus School
- Strathburn School
- Strathdon School
- Strichen School
- Stuartfield School
- Tarland School
- Tarves School
- Torphins School
- Tough School
- Turriff Academy
- Turriff Primary School
- Tyrie School
- Udny Green School
- Uryside School
- Westfield School
- Westhill Academy
- Westhill Primary School
- Whitehills School
- Ythan Bridge School
School closures in Highland
- Abernethy Primary
- Abernethy Primary Nursery
- Achiltibuie Primary
- Achiltibuie Primary Nursery
- Aldourie Primary
- Alness Academy
- Alvie Primary
- Ardross Primary
- Auchtertyre Primary
- Auchtertyre Primary Nursery
- Auldearn Primary
- Aviemore Primary
- Avoch Primary
- Avoch Primary Nursery
- Beauly Primary
- Beauly Primary Nursery
- Ben Wyvis Primary
- Ben Wyvis Primary Nursery
- Bonar Bridge Primary
- Bonar Bridge Primary Nursery
- Bridgend Primary
- Bridgend Primary Nursery
- Brora Primary
- Brora Primary Nursery
- Bualnaluib Primary
- Bun-Sgoil Shlèite
- Canisbay Primary
- Canisbay Primary Nursery
- Carrbridge Primary
- Carrbridge Primary Nursery
- Castletown Primary
- Castletown Primary Nursery
- Cauldeen Primary
- Cauldeen Primary Nursery
- Cawdor Primary
- Cawdor Primary Nursery
- Coulhill Primary
- Coulhill Primary Nursery
- Cromarty Primary
- Culbokie Primary
- Culbokie Primary Nursery
- Deshar Primary
- Deshar Primary Nursery
- Dingwall Academy
- Dingwall Primary
- Dingwall Primary Nursery – EM
- Dochgarroch Primary
- Dochgarroch Primary Nursery
- Dornoch Academy
- Dornoch Primary
- Dornoch Primary Nursery
- Drummond School
- Dunbeath Primary
- Dunbeath Primary Nursery
- Farr High School
- Farr Primary (Suth)
- Farr Primary Nursery (Suth)
- Gledfield Primary
- Glen Urquhart High School
- Glenelg Primary
- Glenelg Primary Nursery
- Golspie High School
- Golspie Primary
- Golspie Primary Nursery
- Grantown Grammar School
- Grantown Primary
- Halkirk Primary
- Helmsdale Primary
- Helmsdale Primary Nursery
- Hill of Fearn Primary
- Hill of Fearn Primary Nursery
- Hilton of Cadboll Primary
- Hilton of Cadboll Primary Nursery
- Hilton Primary
- Hilton Primary Nursery
- Inver Primary
- Invergordon Academy
- Inverness Royal Academy
- Kilchuimen Academy
- Kilchuimen Primary Nursery
- Kiltearn Primary
- Kiltearn Primary Nursery
- Kingussie High School
- Kingussie Primary
- Kingussie Primary Nursery
- Kirkhill Primary Nursery
- Knockbreck Primary (Tain)
- Kyle Primary
- Kyle Primary Nursery
- Kyleakin Primary
- Kyleakin Primary Nursery
- Lairg Primary
- Lairg Primary Nursery
- Loch Duich Primary
- Lochcarron Primary
- Lochinver Early Learning and Childcare
- Lochinver Primary
- Lybster Primary
- Lybster Primary Nursery
- Melvich Primary
- Melvich Primary Nursery
- Millbank Primary
- Millbank Primary Nursery
- Millburn Academy
- Miller Academy Primary
- Milton of Leys Primary
- Milton of Leys Primary Nursery
- Milton Primary
- Milton Primary Nursery
- Muirtown Primary
- Muirtown Primary Nursery
- Munlochy Primary
- Newmore Primary
- Newtonmore Primary
- Newtonmore Primary Nursery – EM
- Newtonmore Primary Nursery – GM
- North Kessock Primary
- North Kessock Primary Nursery
- Noss Primary
- Obsdale Primary
- Obsdale Primary Nursery
- Park Primary Nursery
- Park Primary School
- Pennyland Primary
- Pennyland Primary Nursery
- Plockton High School
- Plockton Primary
- Plockton Primary Nursery – GM
- Poolewe Primary
- Reay Primary
- Resolis Primary
- Resolis Primary Nursery
- Rogart Primary
- Rogart Primary Nursery
- Rosebank Primary
- Rosebank Primary Nursery
- Rosehall Primary
- Shieldaig Primary
- Smithton Primary
- Smithton Primary Early Learning and Childcare
- South Lodge Primary
- South Lodge Primary Nursery
- St Clement’s School
- St Duthus School
- Strathdearn Primary
- Strathdearn Primary Nursery
- Strathpeffer Primary
- Strathpeffer Primary Nursery
- Tain Royal Academy
- Tarbat Old Primary
- Tarbat Old Primary Nursery
- Tarradale Primary
- Tarradale Primary Nursery
- Teanassie Primary
- Teanassie Primary Nursery
- Thurso High School
- Tomnacross Primary
- Tomnacross Primary Nursery
- Tongue Primary
- Tongue Primary Nursery
- Tore Primary
- Ullapool High School
- Ullapool Primary
- Ullapool Primary Nursery – EM
- Ullapool Primary Nursery – GM
School closures in Shetland
- Baltasound Junior High School
- Mid Yell Junior High School
- Sandwick Junior High School
- Burravoe Primary School
- Cunningsburgh Primary School
- Dunrossness Primary School
- Foula Primary School
- Nesting Primary School
- North Roe Primary School
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