The weather

And you thought last weekend was cold! Freezing low of -13C is forecast as melting snow turns into ice

• RAC reports the busiest February weekend in its history with call outs up 41% 
• Long stretch of the A1 closed after series of accidents in early hours of this morning
• Man airlifted to hospital with spinal injures after sledging accident
• At least 64 schools have been closed or partly closed due to bad weather, mostly in the south east of England
• Heathrow operating a 'normal service' after snow forced cancellation of half its flights over weekend

By Gavin Allen


Britain should brace itself for the coldest night of the winter so far as temperatures threaten to plunge as low a -13C, the Met Office has warned.
If the mercury does dip that low, it would mean the coldest thermometer readings since the frost-bitten nightmare of December 2010.
The snow may have begun to melt away in many places - though some in the south-east could still face a few more centimetres overnight - a relatively milder window has arrived.

The Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band, based in Catterick, march during a 21-gun Royal Salute from the Museum Gardens, York, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne

But that reprieve promises to be temporary. This morning's low point of -8.5C in Church Fenton, North Yorkshire, threatens to be the norm for the rest of Britain.
And the Met Office has warned that -13C is possible between Tuesday and Thursday in East Anglia.
Met Office forecaster Helen Chivers said: 'Scattered snow showers were expected to affect parts of the Lincolnshire to Sussex area overnight, with freezing fog patches elsewhere which persist all day Tuesday in parts of central Scotland.
'There’s a continuing risk of ice throughout this week in areas with lying snow, and a chance temperatures could go lower than -12.4C, especially on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.'
The Met Office added: 'Cold weather looks like lasting to the end of the week, with a chance of rain, sleet and snow moving into northern and western parts on Thursday or Friday.

In the park: Deer stand in the snow at The Deer Park at Studley Royal Park near Ripon, North Yorkshire as freezing temperatures continued

On the roads: The RAC has reported its busiest February weekend ever and assistance was definitely needed for this lorry which ended up in a ditch after spinning from the A1 at Dishforth, North Yorkshire

On the rails: Train services in and out of York were running despite the station, which serves the east coast main line, being dusted with snow and ice

Essential travel only: The AA and RAC have advised motorists to exercise caution when taking to the roads because conditions - such as the on M8 near Glasgow pictured here today - are treacherous

In the air: A plane taxis along a runway at Heathrow in freezing fog, which has continued to disrupt attempts to catch up on the backlog caused by 50 per cent of the schedule being axed in the wake of the snow

'Rain and snow on hills across north-western areas will gradually extend south-east through next week.'

More...

• Big freeze in Europe shows no signs of letting up as Venice's famous waterways ice over
• Caught on camera: The moment good Samaritan had to be saved after leaping into freezing river to save passer-by's dog

The coldest peak of this winter so far came on Saturday morning when South Newington, Oxfordshire, hit -12.4C. That stands as the coldest night since the December 2010 freeze which bottomed out at -21.3C in Altnaharra, in the Highlands of Scotland.
Her colleague Dan Williams added: 'This year's temperature is put into context by last winter's low of -23C, but this is still very cold.
'When you consider that that the average you would expect for this time of year would be around -1C, and we are looking at widespread -7C or -8C, then you can see how much colder it is than normal.'

Yesterday treacherous conditions affected Britain's return to work as the weekend snow that blanketed the country turned to ice, striking at transport on road, rail and in the air.
While thousands ventured outside to enjoy the snow at the weekend, the onset of the working week brought widespread disruption with problems reported on the roads, railways, at airports and even on the ground as people struggle with icy pavements.
On the roads the RAC said it had had the busiest February weekend in its history, with 41 per cent more calls than usual, while the worst overnight problems saw a 25-mile long stretch of the A1 closed after a series of accidents that included four jack-knifed lorries. The A27 was also partly closed yesterday afternoon after a serious crash involving three vehicles.

Stay on your feet: Commuters struggle to stay upright as they head for work on icy roads and pavements around Potters Bar, Hertfordshire,

Tough morning: A newspaper delivery boy cuts a lonely figure as he trudges through still-deep snow in Banstead, near Epsom in Surrey

Road to ruin: This motorist has only the hedgerows to guide his travel as he drives along the top of the Yorkshire Wolds, which remain covered in a blanket of snow

Backed-up: The M4 was a sea of red lights Monday morning near Reading in Berkshire as commuters faced their freezing morning journey at a slower pace than usual

This Met office satellite image shows the freezing weather front sweeping over the south east of England and Wales, as a stronger front covers the area West of Ireland

In the air, Heathrow airport passengers were enraged that just three inches of snow led the third busiest airport in the world to cancel half of its flights over the weekend. However, the airport issued a statement yesterday afternoon which read: 'We're operating a normal schedule today. Please continue to check your flight status with your airline.'
A Downing Street spokesman said the return to normal service was a victory for the airport's snow plan following major disruption in December 2010, when the Spanish-owned airport authority BAA was heavily criticised by an inquiry for its ‘low state of preparedness’ as thousands of passengers were stranded.
David Cameron's office said the decision to cut large numbers of flights over the weekend had prevented the lengthy queues seen last winter.
'BAA and Heathrow had to make some judgments on the basis of the best information at the time, and they decided to cancel some flights,' said Prime Minister David Cameron's official spokesman.
'Part of the reason for this is that last time we had problems with snow, we had significant queues and problems in airport terminals because people were turning up for flights that then didn't run.
'One of the recommendations from the inquiry that followed that experience was that airlines and airports needed to make those judgments slightly earlier to avoid that kind of disruption. That's what happened here.
'One noticeable thing at the weekend was that we didn't see those very long queues snaking out of the airports, because of the decisions that had been made.'
Asked why the UK appeared to be less well-prepared for snow than Scandinavian countries which have to deal with much more harsh conditions, the spokesman said: "They obviously have to prepare in a different way because their climate is different to ours.
'We have to make judgments about how much money to invest in mitigation, given the kind of conditions we experience in this country.'

Quick march, lads! It's cold out here: Members of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery prepare to fire a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park to mark the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth

Grey start: Cold early morning mist swirls around the Somerset countryside near Glastonbury Tor

From above: In this aerial photograph one can still see the snow that dusts the spires of York Minster Cathedral

White skies: A mob of deer stand in a snow covered field at Hornby Castle, on the edge of Wensleydale between Bedale and Leyburn, Yorkshire

Snow machine: With the colour of its emissions matching the snowbound landscape North Yorkshire Drax Power Station may look as if it is pumping snow and ice into the air but it's actually working full time to heat the nations' homes

On the rails, operators warned that the snow and ice was 'very likely' to lead to cancellations and delays. That prediction came true In Portsmouth where a broken-down train and electrical supply problems caused delays, disruption and cancellations to South West Trains services. Passengers had to switch to buses to get to Portsmouth, while rail services on the busy routes to and from London Waterloo were hit all morning.
And even people trying to make the best of the weather suffered as a man, 55, was airlifted to hospital when a sledging accident left him with spinal injuries.
The conditions hit schools too, with around 20 primaries and secondaries in Kent and Medway closed or shut for part of the day. East Sussex County Council said it had 40 primary and secondary schools closed or partially closed.

More...

• Big freeze in Europe shows no signs of letting up as Venice's famous waterways ice over
• Caught on camera: The moment good Samaritan had to be saved after leaping into freezing river to save passer-by's dog

With the east of England getting the worst of it yesterday, just four schools in the North East were closed due to bad weather. Faults to the heating systems forced closures at Holywell Village First School, near Blyth, Northumberland, Hilton Primary School in Blakelaw, Newcastle, and St Joseph's RCVA Primary in Coundon and Bowes Hutchinson's CofE School, both in County Durham.
In Hull, three schools were closed; North Yorkshire had two schools closed and one partially closed; one school was closed in Rotherham; one was closed in Barnsley; and in Halifax, one school was partially closed.

Most of the closed schools were expected to reopen today.

I wish it was a bit otter: This pair frolicked over and under the ice at their home at the British Wildlife Centre in Lingfield, in Surrey

It's not a snow leopard: This tiger finds itself in rather unfamiliar weather conditions at Shepreth Wildlife Park near Cambridge

Eye to eye: Deer wrestle at a snow-bound Bushy Park in Hampton Court, West London - perhaps just trying to keep warm

Fancy a hot meal? These sheep, seemingly in formation, head for food laid out by a farmer in the North Yorkshire Wolds, leaving tracks in the soft snow

Kevin Andrews, of the RAC, said: 'The snow and ice over the weekend certainly has had a major impact on roads and has caused problems for many motorists.

Waiting game: Travellers at Heathrow's Terminal 5 queue to have their passports checked at the UK border, as the weekend's weather disruption rolled into the new week

Making the most of it: A man sledges down Kirkstone Pass road in the Lake District today as snow and ice remained in parts of the country, while right, a snowboarder takes advantage of snowy slopes in the same area

Thick coating: Several inches of snow still remained in this deep snow drift leading to the summit on Red Screes in the Lake District today

Huddling together for warmth: A group of meerkats do their best to keep the cold out at London Zoo today

'With continued frozen weather black ice is becoming a major issue on the roads. Motorists need to drive smooth and steady on the roads and avoid sudden braking and steering. Call volumes are still high.'
Even gritters have come to grief, albeit not by road problems, with one put out of action in York this morning after it was hit by a snowball which smashed a side window. The damage, which will cost a few hundred pounds to repair, meant the gritter was off the road today.

In the early hours of this morning a 25-mile section of the A1 northbound in North Yorkshire was shut in the early hours of this morning following a series of accidents in what police described as 'treacherous' conditions. No-one was seriously hurt in a series of collisions on the road between Allerton Park, near York, and the Catterick area at around 2.15am.
The problems began when an HGV left the road near Bedale. A number of other reports of incidents quickly followed. One HGV jack-knifed on the northbound carriageway at Hackforth and then two further lorries jack-knifed further north, while a fourth, at Leeming, suffered a ruptured diesel tank as a result. A number of cars left the road at various points along the stretch at locations including Kirby Fleetham, Fencote and Leeming Bar.

Soap opera: This man who calls himself Samsam Bubbleman - a self-styled 'Bubbleologist' - manages to encompass this entire snowman inside a bubble in the back garden of his home in North London

Tall tale: This giant snowman in Marylebone, central London, is estimated to be around 9ft tall by Carina Parks (pictured left and right) who built it with her husband Brian

A police spokesman said: 'Resources from the police, the fire service, ambulance and the Highways Agency all worked together to ensure that any occupants of the vehicles involved were safe and, despite the number of reports received, there were very few injuries reported, none of which were serious or life- threatening.'

He added that the Highways Agency had salted the roads in this area last night but unexpected rain showers washed it away. The fresh rain froze due to low ground temperatures, leaving the road covered in sheet ice which 'contributed to the collisions'', he said.

Lorry driver Nigel Mee, whose vehicle was stationary on the road today, told Sky News: 'The road looked clear but it was sheer black ice.'
The Highways Agency said the A1 at Catterick was closed southbound between the A6136 and A684, while the A1M in North Yorkshire was closed northbound between junctions J47 and the A6136.
The A27 was also closed in both directions between the junctions with the A26 South and the A2270, due to a serious incident involving  three vehicles.
No more snow is predicted until Saturday, but the disruption on roads will continue today as thawing snow freezes over to form deadly black ice.

Nine severe weather alerts were in place today as the Met Office warned that ice could be a hazard on roads and pavements across much of England and south-east Wales.
Major snowfalls have hit the South East, East Anglia, Lincolnshire, parts of the Midlands, Yorkshire and the North East. They were heaviest at Church Fenton, near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire and Wattisham, Suffolk – both blanketed under six inches.
The temperature plunged overnight in Benson, Oxfordshire to -12c (10.4f)  – colder than the Norwegian city of Tromso, within the Arctic Circle. The Thames froze at Limehouse, Kingston, Hampton Court, Teddington and in Benson while the sea froze at Poole, Dorset.

In Terrington, near Malton, North Yorkshire, a 55-year-old man was trying to enjoy the snow with his family at around 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon when he came off his sledge at high speed while going down a steep bank.

He suffered spinal injuries and was airlifted to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, though his condition is not believed to be life-threatening.

Hard for fans: On a weekend that will have chilled sports fans to the bone up and down the country, the hope is that this is a real snowman, rather than a buried rugby fan

Yesterday, as Saturday's snow melted and the runways, taxiways and stands at Heathrow were cleared of snow, only 50 per cent of the 1,300 scheduled flights went ahead yesterday, leaving scenes of confusion and frustration for travellers who faced a night sleeping on terminal floors.

Pensioner Cath Lees, from Gloucester, had intended to fly with Virgin to Johannesburg to celebrate her 70th birthday with her husband Mike, 71. Their flight was delayed by 23 hours. ‘It’s a disgrace because it happens every time there’s a bit of snow,’ said Mrs Lees.

Kim Ledbury, 54, from Grimsby, was flying with Virgin to Melbourne to see her son, daughter and grandchildren but also faced a 23-hour delay. She said:

‘It’s a comedy of errors. The weather is out of people’s control but they knew the snow was coming.’
Six transatlantic flights from Dallas, Miami, Houston, Washington, Denver and Atlanta were diverted from Heathrow to Shannon on Ireland’s west coast.

Richard Healey, 64, a mining company director, said his wife Diana, 70, was one of those stuck in Ireland as she flew BA home from Atlanta. Mr Healey, of Wimborne, Dorset, said: ‘It’s really disgraceful. Heathrow said it spent £32million on snow equipment, but it still can’t cope. It’s like amateur night.’

Retired teacher Miriam Walters, 62, and husband Derek, 58, flew in on the 4.10pm flight from Moscow after visiting their daughter Penny.

Mrs Walters said: ‘The runways at Moscow were covered with snow and still we managed to leave and arrive at our destination with no bother at all. It’s only when you go to other countries that you realise how pathetic we are at coping with a little bit of extreme weather.’

Aimie Greggs, 29, a sales rep from Enfield, London, arrived from Hamburg on the 5.20pm flight. She said: ‘The UK seems useless at dealing with all sorts of weather, whether it’s too cold or too hot.’

THREE-DAY FORECAST

Today: An icy start for many with some mist and fog expected. Across Wales, Northern Ireland and the southern half of England it then looks set to be rather cloudy with some patchy light rain and drizzle. Much of this should die away during the afternoon with the chance of some brighter spells developing in places. Scotland and remaining parts of England should stay largely dry with sunny spells and variable amounts of cloud.

Tuesday and Wednesday: A widespread frosty, icy start again on Tuesday. It will then be cold but largely dry with sunny spells and variable amounts of cloud. However, there will be the risk of some patchy light rain or drizzle edging into Northern Ireland and western Scotland. After a sharp overnight frost, it will another largely dry day with some sunshine. However, there may also be a fair amount of cloud around at times, particularly across southern and eastern England where the odd wintry shower is possible.
Source: Meteogroup UK

In contrast with Heathrow, most airports in continental Europe were running as normal. Munich  – which saw temperatures of -27c on Friday – was suffering from minimal delays yesterday.
Putting a positive spin on the Heathrow closure – despite only half of 1,200 planned flights running yesterday – a spokesman for BAA said: ‘Our snow plan has worked far better than in previous years and the airport is getting back to normal. By cancelling flights in advance airlines have been able to rebook some people on to flights that are departing, and passengers have had better quality information about whether they can fly or not.’

Transport Secretary Justine Greening said BAA had taken ‘the right approach’. She added: ‘It was a co-ordinated effort and a decision they took to cancel flights in advance so we didn’t have passengers turning up at the airport and then finding their flight was cancelled.’

Bad weather also caused traffic to grind to a standstill on other parts of the M25.

Tom Jones, who was stuck for more than seven hours in the gridlock, told the BBC there was a ‘nose-to-tail standstill’ on sections of the motorway in Hertfordshire as he tried to make his way home to Harrow in north-west London.

‘We joined the back of a tailback, never realising we would be spending the night on the motorway,’ he said.

‘Everybody has been in here for a lot longer than they expected.’
Mr Jones saw lorry drivers fall asleep in their cabs, having given up hope of getting out of the queue during the night. He had to get out of his car at times to wake drivers up whenever the queue started moving.
Although Mr Jones was frustrated by the lack of information he had received from authorities, he conceded the Highways Agency was dealing with ‘some particularly special driving’.
Before the jam he saw many motorists were ‘hurtling’ along at unsafe speeds. He reported seeing several cars stuck on the central reservation, many drivers unprepared for the treacherous conditions, and many vehicles blocking up the hard shoulder, all of which he said would have hampered the Highways Agency's attempts to ease the problem.