Snow and Ice Hits With Warnings of Travel Disruption
BBC News
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Snow is blanketing parts of the UK as a cold snap brings freezing conditions and possible travel disruption – here's the forecast for the rest of the day
The Met Office issues new yellow warnings for snow and ice for parts of England and all of Northern Ireland, with an amber warning to take effect in north-east England on Thursday
Dozens of schools are closed in northern parts of Scotland, while the "Pembrokeshire Dangler" brings heavy showers to Wales
Cold weather tips: Here's how to keep your home warm, drive safely, and look after your pets
What's the weather like where you are? Send us your updates, pictures and questions on WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803, external
Watch weather cameras across the UK live at the top of the page
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Watch: The latest weather forecast as cold snap hits UK
Edited by Alex Smith and Tinshui Yeung
More from the BBC's Weather Watchers, who are capturing pictures of snowy and icy conditions across the UK.
You can send your pictures to Weather Watchers here.
Elevix, Scotland
Crook, County Durham
Farnham, Surrey
Battle, East Sussex
Isle of Lewis
BBC Radio 4 presenter James Gallagher spent 30 minutes in a room where the air temperature dropped from 21C to 10C in an experiment in 2022
You should ideally keep rooms you use regularly heated to at least 18C.
But that's not always possible.
Damian Bailey from the University of South Wales told the BBC that 10C is the average temperature people will be living in if they can't afford to heat their homes.
Spending a long time in temperatures this low can have a significant impact on the heart, lungs and brain.
As part of an experiment in 2022 with the University of South Wales, BBC Radio 4 presenter James Gallagher spent 30 minutes in a room where the air temperature dropped from 21C to 10C.
The blood flow to his brain fell, his blood pressure and heart rate increased, the temperature of his extremities dropped, and he took much longer to complete a series of puzzles.
An increase in blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attacks and strokes – one reason why they're more common in the winter months.
We're continuing to look through your photos of the cold weather from the BBC's Weather Watchers.
You can also join the community and send your pictures here.
Bowes, County Durham
Bonar Bridge, Scottish Highlands
Halsmere, Surrey
Wrexham, Wales
If you’re struggling to pay your energy bill, ask your energy supplier for help.
They’re required by the regulator to offer affordable payment plans or repayment holidays if needed. Most also provide hardship grants.
If you’re on a prepayment meter and can’t afford to top up, your supplier must offer support such as credit.
It’s also worth checking if you’re eligible for help through a government scheme:
Here are some pictures taken by BBC Weather Watchers in Wales, where many areas are seeing snow today.
Two sheeps spotted in Llandegla, Denbighshire
Dog walking in a sunny, snowy park in Hirnant, Powys
Cadar Idris in Snowdonia pictured in the snow
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For some, snow brings out their inner child – for others, it’s just a nuisance.
But what exactly is snow? Here are some answers to frequently asked questions.
What causes snow?
The air is full of water vapour and, when it’s cold, this can freeze into ice crystals. Snowflakes form as more and more of these ice crystals stick together. They eventually become heavy enough to fall to the ground.
Is snow frozen rain?
Snow and rain are both forms of precipitation, but snow forms when water vapour crystallises in the clouds.
What temperature does snow fall?
It can snow when the air temperature falls below +2C.
Sometimes it can be too cold to snow, not because of the actual temperature but because the colder the air, the drier it is with no moisture for snow to form.
Can snow settle on wet ground or after rain?
It can, but snow is less likely to settle after rain. It depends on the temperature of the ground and how much snow is falling.
Earlier, we brought you details of several school closures in Scotland due to the wintry weather.
Local council websites have now updated some of those figures.
In Aberdeenshire, 19 schools and nurseries are currently listed as "closed to everyone" – with reasons including road conditions, weather, or no reason specified.
Twenty schools remain closed in the Highland Council area, while more had a later opening time this morning. Three are closed in Moray.
Details of school closures are published on local council websites. You can also check using this government webpage, external with your post code.
Babies and young children under five are more at risk in cold weather.
While outside, the NHS says babies and children should wear several layers to keep warm, external, including a hat and mittens to help stop heat loss.
In the car, for safety reasons, you should keep thick jumpers and coats to a minimum, so there isn’t too much padding between your child and the car seat straps.
Remove any hats, gloves and extra layers when you come back inside.
NHS guidance says babies don’t need hot rooms at night – a room temperature of between 16-20C (61-68F) is ideal. Overheating is one of the potential causes of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), external.
If you’re using a sleeping bag and feel your baby is cold, you should add an extra layer of clothing – but not extra blankets.
As winter weather hits various parts of the UK today, you've been sending us your pictures.
Here are some we've received of snowy settings across the country.
As a reminder, you can send us your updates, pictures and questions on WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803, external
Northumberland
North Yorkshire
Bracknell, Berkshire
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After a mild start to the month, households woke up to a chillier November day this morning. A cold snap is gripping the UK, with snow blanketing parts of the country.
If you're just joining us, here are the highlights:
Kevin Peachey
Cost of living correspondent
There is financial help within the benefits system when people face a prolonged period of cold weather.
But, despite temperatures plummeting and snow on the ground, that extra support has yet to be triggered.
If you are on certain benefits, you will automatically receive a Cold Weather Payment of £25 when the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0C or below over seven consecutive days.
That week-long threshold hasn’t yet been hit, but it undoubtedly will do later in the winter.
Cold Weather Payments, external operate in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is a different system in Scotland.
These payments are different from the Winter Fuel Payment currently being paid to many older people to help with their winter energy bills.
A yellow snow and ice warning is in effect for south-west Wales until midnight tomorrow.
Forecasters warn that buses and trains may be cancelled or delayed, untreated pavements or cycle paths could become treacherous or impassable, and there’s also a slight chance of power cuts in more exposed areas.
The poor weather is linked to the "Pembrokeshire Dangler" – a persistent band of heavy showers over the Irish Sea which often sits, or dangles, over Pembrokeshire.
Pembrokeshire Danglers are most common during the autumn and winter and can last for a few hours or a few days. While locations under the dangler can get hammered, places nearby only 10 miles away remain dry.
Dalwhinnie, Scottish Highlands
Pen-y-Pass, Snowdonia
Shetland Islands
Crawley, West Sussex
Woodhead Pass, a major road connecting Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire, has reopened after overnight snowfall closed it to traffic.
National Highways said the A628 was closed in both directions between the A616 for Hollingworth and the A57 for Flouch, as several heavy goods vehicles were struggling in the wintry conditions and needed assistance.
"Road users are also advised to allow extra time for their journey," National Highways said.
Like humans, animals can be at risk of hypothermia if they become too cold.
Dogs still need walks during cold weather. Usually their fur will keep them warm, but be cautious when letting dogs off the lead in the snow, and supervise them closely as hazards may be hidden.
The PDSA charity recommends moving smaller pets – such as rabbits, guinea pigs and ferrets – inside if they live in outdoor hutches. Extra playtime can make sure pets keep active. Indoor toys can help.
During the day, experts say cats who are used to going outside should continue to do so.
But the PDSA advises making sure they can easily get back inside through a cat flap whenever they want, or have a warm outside shelter they can go. Providing litter trays inside is recommended, so they have a warm toileting option.
Chickens and hens are incredibly resilient and should typically cope well with a bit of cold weather, according to the British Hen Welfare Trust. Make sure to insulate hen houses, and regularly check that their water supplies have not frozen.
As cold weather sees parts of the country hit with snow, sleet and ice, we're streaming some live weather cameras from across the UK.
You can follow along by clicking watch live at the top of the page.
You've been sending us your pictures of the wintry weather today – here's some we've received from Guildford and Luton.
As a reminder, you can send us your updates, pictures and questions on WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803, external
Newlands Corner, Guildford
Luton
Helen Willetts
Lead weather presenter
Sleet and snow showers will continue across Scotland, Northern Ireland, western Wales, south-west England and eastern England – which means further problems for travel, not only with snow but ice too.
Elsewhere, the early rain and snow mix will clear and the sun will come out, but it will be a bitter day with top temperatures well below November averages – between 7-11C.
That’s something we've not seen so far this autumn.
This evening and overnight, there will be little change in the weather with wintry showers continuing to drape themselves around the UK's coastal counties, moving inland on the strong wind.
It will soon turn frosty, with very few places likely to escape. Following the earlier wintry mix it means ice will become a major hazard for many.
Remember, the Met Office amber warning for north-east England kicks in at 03:00 GMT on Thursday morning, where as much as 25cm of snow is expected to build up from now until the end of the day tomorrow.
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