Over 120 schools closed in the UK as snow covers parts of Scotland
Snowfall sweeping across the UK caused the closure of over 120 schools and suspended transport services on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. Temperatures plunged to as low as -11.2 °C (11.8 °F) in Aberdeenshire on Monday, November 18 making it the coldest early winter night recorded in Scotland since 1998.
Parts of Scotland covered in snow after first snowfall of the season. Image credit: Daily Record (stillshot)
- Heavy snowfall has caused significant disruptions across the UK, with over 120 schools closed and transport services halted in several regions.
- Snowfall ranging from 2 – 20 cm (0.8 – 7.9 inches) is expected today.
- Temperatures dropping as low as -11.2 °C (11.8 °F) in Aberdeenshire on Monday, November 18, marked the coldest early winter night in Scotland since 1998.
- The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an Amber cold weather health alert.
Snowfall across the UK has forced the closure of 40 schools in Scotland, nearly 50 in Wales, and at least 30 in England on Wednesday, marking the second consecutive day of school closures and travel disruptions.
As of 10:20 UTC on Wednesday, four Yellow weather warnings were in effect across parts of the UK. The warnings are expected to remain active until 12:00 UTC on Thursday, November 21. Regions under warning can expect frequent snow showers, accompanied by a slight risk of hail.
Snowfall accumulations are projected to range from 2 – 5 cm (0.8 – 2 inches), with some areas receiving up to 10 cm (4 inches), and higher elevations above 300 m (984 feet) experiencing 15 – 20 cm (5.9 – 7.9 inches).
The UK’s first significant snowfall of the season began on Monday night, November 18, causing more than 200 school closures across affected regions by Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning, temperatures across the UK dropped to between -1 °C (30.2 °F) and -4 °C (24.8 °F). The Grampians in Scotland recorded a low of -7.8 °C (18 °F), while Shap in Cumbria experienced temperatures as low as -7 °C (19.4 °F).
Northern Scotland saw heavy snow overnight from Tuesday into Wednesday, while parts of North Wales and the Midlands also reported snowfall.
The winter weather caused train service disruptions, with services between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog in North Wales suspended until 07:30 UTC on Wednesday, and delays on the line continuing until 09:00 UTC.
In Northern Ireland, Translink warned of disruptions to some services in the Magherafelt and Cookstown areas, including school bus routes, due to road conditions.
In Scotland, ScotRail faced difficulties arranging replacement transport after a fallen tree disrupted rail services in and out of Aberdeen.
Temperatures are forecast to remain below the mid-November average during the day and fall below freezing at night over the coming days.
London could see lows of -2 °C (28.4 °F) on Friday, November 22, while Birmingham could drop to -4 °C (24.8 °F), with temperatures as low as -7 °C (19.4 °F) expected further north.
Monday night saw Scotland’s coldest early winter night since 1998, as temperatures in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, fell to -11.2 °C (11.8 °F). The severe weather conditions caused a bus to overturn in Aberdeenshire, though no injuries were reported.
Snow and icy conditions rendered some roads impassable and led to several accidents on Tuesday. Route A44 in Powys was shut in both directions between the A470 at Llangurig and the B4343 at Dyffryn Castell due to heavy snow.
Collisions on snow-covered roads forced closures on the A55 eastbound at Caerwys in Flintshire and the A483 southbound between Rossett and Gresford in Wrexham County.
In response to the cold weather, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued the first amber cold weather health alert of the season. The alert covers the East of England, East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West, and Yorkshire and the Humber.
References:
1 UK weather warnings – Met Office – Accessed at 10:20 UTC on November 21, 2024
2 Warnings for ice after snow closes schools – BBC – November 20, 2024
3 Ice and snow warnings remain in place for much of UK- BBC -November 20, 2024
4 Schools shut as snow causes more travel problems – BBC – November 20, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules.