AceWeatherDesk – Temperatures have fallen below freezing in parts of the UK, with 15cm of snow causing serious travel disruption: Some drivers in the area spent the night in temporary accommodation or stuck in cars.

Ace Press News From Cutting Room Floor: Published: Dec.03: 2023: MET Office Weather News & BBC Weather News: By James Gregory, Louisa Pilbeam & Harrison Jones: TELEGRAM Ace Daily News Link https://t.me/+PuI36tlDsM7GpOJe

Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice are in effect for the north west of England, the Midlands, the south, and parts of Wales and Scotland.

Drivers in Cumbria told the BBC they had been in stop-start traffic with no food or water for up to 19 hours.

Meanwhile, the mercury has dropped to -12C (10.4F) in Scotland.

A “major incident” has been declared in Cumbria after heavy snowfall, with police urging people not to travel on Sunday unless necessary. 

Ant Brett, from Essex, travelled to Cumbria for a family wedding but the conditions meant he was travelling for 19 hours and never made it. 

He ran out of food and water and said emergency services or other organisations had not delivered supplies to the cars where he was stranded. 

“I’ve been stuck since 4pm on Saturday,” he told the BBC while waiting on the A595. 

Roads have been treacherous for drivers in Cumbria

Jason Haine

Thick blankets of snow covered cars and streets making roads almost impassable

Danny Lawson

Freezing temperatures and a blanket of snow greeted ramblers at the North York Moors National Park

Lucy Maeder

Cars littered the road from Kendal to Windermere, in Cumbria, on Saturday

“I was heading up to a family wedding – it’s fair to say I didn’t make it. The cars here haven’t had any water or food supplies. I’m down to my last bit of water and having to ration it. I know the emergency services are busy but we’ve just been left here without help.”

Paul Smith was stuck on a local road heading towards the town of Ambleside on Saturday evening after experiencing serious delays on the M6 motorway.

“The snow just came down and as you can see the road all the way down is still blocked,” he said. 

“We’re still about a mile-and-a-half from Ambleside and it’s just been like moving ten yards, stopping and moving again.” 

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said it was utilising its 4X4 vehicles to help “vulnerable people stuck in the snow as required”, adding it was assisting at reception centres.

Cumbria Police said the M6 southbound motorway between junctions 38 and 37 was blocked on Saturday due to jack-knifed lorries and that the A595 between Millom and Furness was impassable.

National Highways said it was also dealing with a large number of stranded vehicles on Saturday evening, particularly on the M6 between junctions 38 and 40.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for ice for the area from midnight until 11:00 on Sunday.

Further south, a yellow weather warning for ice is in place from midnight until 08:00 for London, the east of England, the West Midlands and parts of south Wales.

Another yellow alert for snow across eastern parts of England expired at 07:00. A separate alert for both snow and ice covers the same area but stretches further north, to beyond Middlesbrough, south below Birmingham and west into Wales, until midday. 

Separately, an amber cold-health alert issued by the UK Health Security Agency remains in place for five regions in England,with a yellow warning in place for four more.

The agency warned: “Cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time, with potential for the whole population to be at risk.”

The amber alert is in place for the East Midlands, West Midlands, North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber until 5 December.

Cumbria snow: Drivers spend night in shelters and cars

Drivers and their passengers have spent the night in temporary accommodation or stuck in their cars after heavy snow in Cumbria caused widespread disruption.

A major incident was declared by police on Saturday evening, with an estimated 200 vehicles marooned in the South Lakes area.

Reception centres were set up for those stranded, and emergency services worked to reach people trapped in vehicles.

Cumbria Police has urged people to only travel in the county if necessary. 

The multi-agency response was launched after the Met Office issued an amber warning for snow and said 4-6in (10-15cm) was possible in some areas before snowfall eased overnight.

A yellow warning for ice remains in place until 11:00 GMT. 

LUCY MAEDER

At one point, Cumbria Police estimated 200 vehicles were stuck

Ant Brett, from Essex, travelled to Cumbria for a family wedding, but the conditions meant he was driving for 19 hours and never made it.

“I’ve been stuck since 4pm on Saturday,” he told the BBC while waiting on the A595.

“I was heading up to a family wedding. It’s fair to say I didn’t make it. 

“The cars here haven’t had any water or food supplies. I’m down to my last bit of water and having to ration it. 

“I know the emergency services are busy but we’ve just been left here without help.” 

WHATEVER THE WEATHER

Kendal was one of the areas worst affected by the heavy snowfall

Cumbria Police said among the roads affected on Saturday evening were the M6 due to jack-knifed lorries, and the A595 which was impassable.

The force urged people not to travel, or if they decided to leave their vehicles they should try and move them to the side of the road so emergency services could reach those who were trapped.

Supt Andy Wilkinson described the conditions as challenging.

“We are aware of a number of incidents in which highway teams and those assisting in the efforts to support those affected by the snow have been verbally abused,” he said.

“We understand people’s frustration during this time. However, agencies are working hard to improve the situation in Cumbria and are also facing the challenging road conditions when responding.”

See the latest police traffic updates here.

He added that the snow had been “much more significant than forecast”.

Those involved in the multi-agency approach along with the police were fire and rescue crews, ambulance and mountain rescue teams.

Mountain rescuers said about 20 of their four-wheel drive vehicles had been used to help police reach those who were stuck in the snowy conditions.

Richard Warren, chairman of the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association, said: “To be honest, I have never seen snow like it. We had the Beast from the East in 2018 which was pretty horrific. 

“I suppose the good thing about it is that there was very little wind, but certainly in the areas we were checking there was a good foot of snow on the cars. It’s amazing.”

National Highways national network manager Dale Hipkiss said drivers who needed to travel despite the weather conditions should take extra precautions.

“Keeping a kit of essential items – like a torch and warm clothes – in your vehicle can be vital in case you and your passengers become stranded,” he said.

“Freezing conditions bring so many hazards such as snow and ice, please take every possible step to understand your journey in advance and allow extra time when travelling.”

Train operator Northern said railway lines between Lancaster and Carlisle were blocked due to the severe weather and warned people not to travel.

Stagecoach Cumbria and North Lancashire said it would not be able to run some buses until roads were passable.

Coniston was among the areas transformed by the snow

BBC weather forecaster Jen Bartram said the difficult travel conditions were “likely to be continuing”.

“I think the hazard is more likely to be ice because any melted snow that we have will refreeze over,” she said.

“Of course, any further snow falling on to that frozen ground will just freeze as well.”

Communities came together across Cumbria to open up emergency reception centres offering food, drink and shelter to those who were stranded.

David Pittam, who was among dozens of people trapped in the village of Hawkshead, said people had spent the night in the local primary school and scout hut, while local residents had opened their doors to others.

“Very kindly the local vicar has put us up for the night. Us and I think it’s a brass band who all got stranded here,” he said.

“They were supposed to be performing Christmas carols and couldn’t make it back to where they lived.

“So it’s us and a brass band up at the vicarage so its very Christmassy in a way.”

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