Cold weather causes school closures and power cuts with ‘thundersnow’ possible for parts of UK
It was the coldest night of the season, and an amber warning is still in placepublished at 16:09 GMT
Jamie Whitehead
Live reporter
Image source, PA Media
England, Wales and Northern Ireland woke this morning after the coldest night of the season so far, with temperatures dropping as low as -6.6C in Oxfordshire.
The cold weather has led to hundreds of schools closing and left homes in west Wales without power.
Weather warnings for ice are in place across south-west and eastern England, as well as Scotland and west Wales. There’s also an amber warning in northern England which lasts until 21:00 today.
The Met Office says there’s a chance of more “thundersnow” today too – that’s when a thunderstorm meets freezing snowy conditions.
Looking ahead, the cold weather is set to continue. New yellow weather warnings for ice have been issued today, lasting until tomorrow. These cover parts of south-west and eastern England, Scotland and west Wales.
If you’re in an affected area, stay safe. We’ve got guides on keeping your home warm, driving safely if you have to, and looking after your pets.
If you’re already physically warm and after something heartwarming, these dogs and guinea pigs you’ve sent in might just do the trick.
We are closing our live coverage now, but our news story will remain updated with the latest on the cold weather and any new warnings which are issued.
Thanks for joining us. Stay warm.
