Heavy snowfalls in Wales and northern England have severely disrupted travel at the start of the new year, with air, rail, and road services facing widespread delays and closures.
The Met Office issued an amber weather warning for snow in northern England on Sunday, alongside seven yellow warnings for snow, ice, and rain in various parts of the UK, lasting into Monday.
Bingley, West Yorkshire, recorded the heaviest snowfall with 17cm by late Sunday morning, while Shap in Cumbria and Capel Curig in Conwy each saw 10cm. The amber warning covered northern areas, including Leeds, Sheffield, and the Lake District, and warned of up to 40cm of snow on higher ground before easing later in the day.
“Some rural communities could be cut off,” the Met Office warned.
Airports across the country faced closures and delays:
- Manchester Airport reopened mid-morning after heavy snowfall at 7am.
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport reopened at 10:15am.
- Leeds Bradford Airport resumed operations by 2:15pm but cautioned that disruption would persist due to backlogs.
- Birmingham and Bristol airports also experienced temporary suspensions overnight.
On the roads, National Highways reported closures due to snow and flooding, while National Rail advised against travel on some northern routes as line closures and delays were expected to extend into Monday.
The Environment Agency issued 15 flood warnings across southern England, particularly in western areas. Meanwhile, the National Grid reported multiple power outages across the UK on Sunday.
The UK Health Security Agency extended its cold weather health alerts for all of England, warning of increased mortality risks from prolonged low temperatures. Emergency measures for rough sleepers, including additional shelter spaces, were introduced in London and southern England.
Despite the snowfall, Liverpool FC and Manchester United confirmed their 4:30pm match in Liverpool would proceed as planned.
Looking ahead, the Met Office predicted further sleet and snow in northern and eastern regions, with heavier snowfall in northern England and southern Scotland on Sunday before moving to northern Scotland on Monday. The south saw some milder conditions after freezing rain, but frosty and icy patches are expected into early next week.
“There is also the potential for some snow in southern and maybe central parts of England and Wales around the middle of the week, as a system brushes the south, bumping into the cold air,” said Mike Silverstone, the Met Office’s deputy chief forecaster.
Temperatures will remain below average despite drier weather with sunny spells forecast for Monday and Tuesday.
