2 days ago
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
Daniel Lavelle
There’s a lot of talk about freezing rain in the news, but what is it?
Freezing rain is a rare form of precipitation that freezes almost instantly after striking a cold surface, giving everything from leaves to car mirrors the appearance of ice sculptures.
These scenes may be pretty, but they can be dangerous. The weight of the ice brought about by freezing rain can be heavy enough to bring down power lines and fell trees; the instant freezing effect is a big problem for gritters as the rain can instantly coat roads and runways in slippery ice.
Freezing rain is more common in the US and other parts of the world, which are more prone to experiencing ice storms as a result…
Some pictures from Manchester airport and Liverpool John Lennon airport. Staff working hard to clear the runways, so people can make their flights.
Parts of country could see 25cm of snow on Sunday
Part of the country could see up to to 25cm of snow on Sunday, according to Highways.
Its severe weather warning for snow will be in place in England until midnight tonight.
In the north almost a foot of snow could could hit roads including the A628 Woodhead Pass, connecting Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire.
Drivers should be wary of ice, Highways warned, if rain falls on frozen ground.
Some pictures of heavy snow from the Pennines
Heavy snow is threatening to postpone Manchester United’s Premier League game with Liverpool on Sunday.
Liverpool City Council’s Safety Advisory Group is set to convene and hold a meeting early this morning to discuss next steps in regards to the match, which is due to kick off at Anfield at 4.30pm.
Chesterfield have had their game with Gillingham called off.
More to follow…
Heavy snow has forced Manchester airport and Liverpool airport to close their runways this morning they announced on social media.
Due to snow, the runway is temporarily closed but the airport remains open, please contact your airline for flight information. We are working hard to clear the runway and will provide an update at 08:45 pic.twitter.com/QxiFw9bqsE
— Liverpool John Lennon Airport (@LPL_Airport) January 5, 2025The Met Office has issued weather alerts across the island of Ireland as the cold snap continues.
In Northern Ireland, a yellow ice and snow warning is in effect until 6pm on Sunday.
The Met Office said that between 5-10 cm of snow is possible over the Mournes, Sperrins, and Antrim Hills.
The forecaster said disruption to transport is likely, and roads will be hazardous.
“Spells of rain, sleet and snow will develop from the south late Saturday before clearing through Sunday,” the forecaster added.
“Coastal areas will likely see rain, but inland and over higher ground, sleet and snow is more likely.”
Opening summary
Hello and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the freezing UK weather.
Two amber weather warnings remain in place as the country grapples with travel disruption and power cuts after days of harsh winter weather.
An amber warning for snow and rare freezing rain covering most of Wales and much of England – including the Midlands, Liverpool and Manchester – came into effect at 6pm on Saturday and lasts until midday on Sunday, the Met Office said.
The second amber warning for snow, covering most of northern England including Leeds, Sheffield and the Lake District, started at 9pm on Saturday and will remain in place until midnight on Sunday.
Both of the warning areas can expect to see 3cm to 7cm of snowfall widely, while snow may mix with rain at times in lower-lying areas, the Met Office said.
A number of collisions were meanwhile reported on the country’s roads, with drivers in some areas advised to take particular care.
The Grid said on Saturday night that power was cut to properties across the Midlands, south-west England and South Wales, including Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff, and that work was under way to get services restored.
Here’s what else you need to know:
A yellow warning for snow and ice until midnight on Sunday has been issued for much of England and Wales not covered by the amber warnings and there was a yellow warning for snow and ice covering much of Northern Ireland until 6pm on Sunday and a warning for ice in the north of Scotland until 10am on Sunday. A yellow warning was also in place for rain covering much of Wales and the West Midlands on Sunday from 6am until 9pm.
A cold weather health alert has been issued for all regions in England with large parts of the UK set to be hit by snow and freezing rain. The cold weather health alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), lasts until midday on Wednesday. It means it is expected temperatures inside places such as hospitals, care homes and clinics could drop below the recommended levels.
The Met Office has warned that the freezing weather could cause delays to rail and air travel, power cuts and the cutting off of rural communities, with up to 30cm of snow forecast in some areas.
Manchester and Liverpool John Lennon Airport both closed their runways on Sunday morning due to heavy snow. Manchester said its teams are working to clear them “as quickly as possible” but had been hampered by “heavy snow” around 7am.
The Grid said there were a number of power cuts and it was working to restore power across the Midlands, south-west England and South Wales on Saturday evening, including in Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff.
The Irish government’s emergency planning team is holding a meeting as Ireland braces for a “multi-hazard weather event”, which is due to hit the country later on Saturday. Snow, ice, heavy rain and sleet are to sweep over Ireland as a series of orange and yellow weather warnings come into effect. Met Éireann has warned that the cold snap will create difficult travelling conditions and poor visibility. Forecasters have said that depending on snow accumulations on Monday, schools could remain closed as the sub-zero temperatures stretch into next week. They have warned that it will probably lead to disruption to public transport, air, rail and bus services, difficult conditions underfoot and animal welfare issues. Taoiseach Simon Harris has urged the public to “proceed with caution” as the country faces severe weather challenges.
A yellow warning for ice is in place for the north of Scotland from 4pm on Saturday to 10am on Sunday while a yellow warning for snow in the Shetland Islands has been issued for Saturday from 10am to 6pm.
There is also a yellow warning for rain covering much of Wales and the West Midlands on Sunday from 6am to 9pm.
An amber weather warning for snow has been put in place for the Isle of Man from 11pm on Saturday until 3am on Monday. The Ronaldsway Met Office warns that rain, sleet and snow will arrive on Saturday night and overnight into Sunday. Overhead power line icing may be an additional hazard, it warns.
Highways warned a “spell of disruptive snow” would spread across southern and central parts of the road network on Saturday night. Drivers in high-altitude areas, especially the Cotswolds and Peak District, were warned to take particular care. Gwent police issued a warning for black ice on Friday.
Road users in northern England’s were warned up to 25cm of snow could hit parts of the network including the A66 Old Spittal, A628 Woodhead Pass and M62 at Windy Hill.
Some football games have already been called off this weekend. They include Cheltenham’s clash with League Two leaders Walsall and Halifax’s League home game against Fylde. It remains to be seen if Manchester United and Liverpool’s clash in the English Premier League, one of the most watched sporting events in the world, will be cancelled on Sunday.
Horse racing at Sandown Park in Surrey was abandoned on Saturday, with the racecourse saying the weather meant there “would not be sufficient time for the ground to become raceable”.
