Snow and ice continues to bite region as record low temperatures reached in UK
Snow and ice is continuing to bring travel disruption to the region as the lowest temperatures for 10 years were reached elsewhere in the UK.
After a cold night, snow blanketed much of the Midlands and Mid Wales with temperatures reaching as low as -4C in parts of Shropshire and South Staffordshire.
Most areas only received a light dusting but several centimetres accumulated on higher ground.
The rest of the day was forecast to be largely dry with some sunny spells, with more snow headed for the east of the country later this week.
Wednesday night was expected to be clear and largely dry but with the potential for a harsh frost and freezing fog as temperatures drop as low as -6C.
It comes after Age UK urged people to make extra checks on elderly friends and relatives and warned against travelling through treacherous conditions to receive vaccinations.
Director of Age UK Caroline Abrahams reminded those due to attend that vaccination appointments were “not a one-off” opportunity.
Cold temperatures increase blood pressure, which can trigger heart attacks and strokes in elderly people, and breathing in chilly air can increase the impact of illnesses like flu and pneumonia.
No weather warnings had been issued for the region on Wednesday morning, with the worst of the weather expected elsewhere in the country, but gritters were out across the West Midlands and Wales.
"Key routes will have been treated, but some minor & back roads will have tricky driving conditions this morning due to overnight snowfall in some areas of the region," West Midlands Roads said on Twitter.
Temperatures hit record low in Scotland
Temperatures fell to minus 17.1C overnight in the Scottish Highlands, setting a new 10-year low.
And the cold snap is set to continue, with the Met Office warning that temperatures could drop even lower overnight on Wednesday.
The temperature in Altnaharra overnight on Tuesday was the coldest since January 2010 when the temperature dipped to minus 22.3C.
The same region of Scotland saw lows of minus 16.7C overnight on Monday.
The Met Office said that Storm Darcy, which caused much disruption last week, has now “definitely” moved on.
The NHS said that despite tough conditions many vaccination centres had remained open, and any missed appointments would be rescheduled.
Yellow warnings for ice and snow were still present down the length of the UK on Wednesday, though some will remain in place in parts of northern England and Scotland on Thursday and Friday.
The Met said that a “rash of snow showers” was expected through until Wednesday morning but that “erratic” weather fronts would dominate the rest of week.
Daytime temperatures are forecast to hover in the single figures across the whole of the UK on Wednesday and Thursday.
Several councils in England, including Rugby Borough Council and Southwark Council, in London, were forced to briefly suspend waste collection services due to the weather conditions.
Thurrock Council, in Essex, said that more than 100 workers, mostly from street cleaning and waste collection teams, were diverted from regular duties to help clear snow from footpaths and routes to medical centres.
The low temperatures will cause pavements and roads to remain icy for the rest of the week, said Grahame Madge, a spokesman for the Met Office.
Vaccination centres in Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk and Clacton-on-Sea and Colchester in Essex were closed on Tuesday due to the severe weather.
An NHS spokesperson said: “The vast majority of vaccination centres have remained open despite Storm Darcy but where sites have had to close for safety reasons the vaccine intended for use there is redirected to an open site to ensure all available vaccine is used as quickly as possible.
“Any appointments which could not take place due to centre closures are being rescheduled.”
