Amber snow warning issued in parts of UK as temperatures plummet to -16C: live

The Met Office has called on people in areas affected by snow and ice to look out for elderly neighbours.

Check to see if they “need any practical help” and that they are “well”, the forecaster says on its website.

It also advises making sure they have sufficient food supplies in case they cannot go out.

The Met adds: “Offer to clear their paths when you clear yours and spread salt. You can use ordinary table or dishwasher salt – a tablespoon for each square metre you clear.”

With parts of the country covered by snow and ice warnings, the Met hasissued advice for how to drive safely on ice.

Only drive if it is absolutely necessary, the forecaster says. If you must drive, follow this advice:

• Looking well ahead for potential hazards and keep your speed down.
• Accelerating, braking, steering and changing gear as smoothly as possible to reduce the risk of a skid.
• Using a higher gear may be more appropriate to help grip on packed ice.
• Using a higher gear helps manage engine power making it easier to find traction.

A 25-year-old woman visiting her mother’s home in Belton Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, for Christmas said she did not expect to become “trapped” after the house was flooded on Tuesday.

Duaa Abdulal was stuck with her mother and younger sister upstairs while the ground floor of the home is filled with water.

She said the house was destroyed by flooding from Storm Henk in January last year and the family have not finished refurbishing since then.

Ms Abdulal said: “We’re stuck upstairs. Last year my family managed to leave the building.

“We managed to get everything upstairs when we got the flood warning.

“We’re still recovering from last year, actually, we haven’t finished refurbishing the house, so it’s stressful.”

A number of roads are likely to be impacted by snow in south west England, which is partly covered by an amber weather warning for snow, National Highways says.

“Snow is likely to impact sections of the M5, A30, A38, A35 & the A303, especially around Okehampton, Bodmin, Blackdown Hills & Haldon Hill,” the organisation wrote on X.

There are “significant delays” in the south west, which is currently under an amber weather warning for snow, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

“There are significant delays around Haldon Hill while traffic is being managed,” the police force said in a post on X.

“Please avoid the area. Motorists across Devon and Cornwall are asked to only travel if absolutely necessary during the active weather warning.”

The Met Office’s forecast for Wednesday has been updated on its website.

Chief meteorologist, Steve Willington, said: “With low temperatures persisting across southwestern parts of England, sleet or snow will fall to low levels in parts of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset through Wednesday afternoon and evening.

“At locations above 150 m, 2-5 cm is possible, but over the higher ground of Dartmoor and Exmoor up to 10 cm could accumulate.

“More widely across southern England, a dusting of snow, up to a couple of centimetres, is possible as the system moves eastwards.

“The snow could cause some disruption to the transport network during this evening’s rush hour.”

Hundreds of schools across the UK have been forced to close after the country was hit by overnight snow and ice.

A number of yellow weather warnings from the Met Office remain in place for large parts of the UK on Wednesday, with the country facing widespread disruption.

Schools and nurseries have had to shut in the first week back after the winter holidays.

Large parts of southern England are covered by a snow warning, including southern parts of London, with up to 10cm of snow expected. Snow and ice warnings are also in place across western and northern areas of the UK from Wednesday into Thursday.

The Met Office has released a graphic showing the areas which will remain under an amber weather warning for snow until 9pm on Wednesday.

Up to 10cm of snow is expected in the worst affected areas.