Manchester airport temporarily close runways due to ‘significant levels of snow’
Manchester airport said it has closed both its runways “due to significant levels of snow”.
In an update posted at 9am, the airport added that its teams are working to clear the runways “as quickly as possible”.
Passengers are being advised to check with their airline for flight information.
Key events
Here are some of the latest images coming in via the newswires:
Manchester airport temporarily close runways due to ‘significant levels of snow’
Manchester airport said it has closed both its runways “due to significant levels of snow”.
In an update posted at 9am, the airport added that its teams are working to clear the runways “as quickly as possible”.
Passengers are being advised to check with their airline for flight information.
Share your experience
Rachel Obordo
If you have been affected by the snow, ice and fog the Guardian community team would like to hear from you.
How has it affected your commute? We’re also interested in any photos you have taken of the snowy weather.
You can share your experience using the form at this link:
It’s a very cold morning in Ireland with widespread frost and ice lingering, says the Irish meteorological service, Met Éireann.
In a post on X, Met Éireann said:
Sunny spells will develop later with just a scattering of cloud in a cold northerly breeze.
A few isolated wintry showers will drift in over Connacht and Ulster for a time but elsewhere should hold dry.”
You can see its latest weather forecast for the day in the video below:
Very cold this morning with widespread frost & ice lingering. 🥶
Sunny spells will develop later with just a scattering of cloud in a cold northerly breeze. 🍃
A few isolated wintry showers will drift in over Connacht & Ulster for a time but elsewhere should hold dry. 🌤️ pic.twitter.com/p50kulpP4B
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) January 9, 2025
Met Office warn of ice and slippery roads for Thursday morning commute
Ice and slippery roads may affect your journey to work on Thursday morning, say the Met Office, with a particularly severe frost in northern areas of the UK.
The forecaster says that freezing fog is possible too, with this being most widespread in Northern Ireland. Northern and western areas of the UK can expect wintry showers, it adds.
Here is the Met Office’s visulisation of how the weather could play out this morning:
Ice and slippery roads may affect your journey to work on Thursday morning with a particularly severe frost in northern areas⚠️
Freezing fog is possible too, this most widespread in Northern Ireland 🌫️
Wintry showers in northern and western areas but otherwise some sunshine ☀️ pic.twitter.com/nh98JBa4BA
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 9, 2025
Robyn Vinter
Here is a snippet from Robyn’s latest dispatch:
It was the moment they had been waiting four days for. A tractor appeared on the horizon, which signalled a possible final escape for the majority of the 33 people snowed in at the Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest pub.
Hugs were shared, phone numbers swapped. But in the end, there was not much time to say goodbye as those in 4x4s and those with snow chains on their tyres scrambled to leave in the wake of the snowplough, driven by the local farmer.
The urgency was necessary – strong winds across the tundra-like landscape meant the cleared roads were covered in snow drifts moments later and completely impassable in a couple of hours. Time was of the essence if the convoy of vehicles was to get out – and there was no guarantee they would do so on the steep and winding North Yorkshire roads.
My colleague, Robyn Vinter, has been reporting from the snowed in Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest pub.
The group of staff and visitors have been stuck at the North Yorkshire pub since Saturday evening due to heavy snowfall and have been told they are likely to be there until the weekend.
You can catch up with her reports from the Tan Hill Inn here:
On Wednesday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) extended its cold weather health alert for all of England until Sunday. Amber alerts have been extended and will now run until 12 January, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UKHSA, said:
We are extending the duration of our cold health alert, since the Met Office are forecasting that the low temperatures we are seeing will continue further into this week, with snow and icy conditions likely to persist.
This weather can have a serious impact on the health of some people, including those aged 65 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions, and it is therefore vital that we continue to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.
These people could be more at risk of heart attacks, stroke and chest infections as a result of cold temperatures.”
Opening summary
Weather warnings remain in force across the UK as Britons are braced for temperatures to plummet as low as -20C.
Snow, ice and fog yellow weather warnings are in force across the UK on Thursday, after snow and sleet caused disruption on Wednesday.
The BBC’s weather forecaster, MeteoGroup, is predicting Thursday night to reach -20C in remote parts of northern England and Scotland, while the Met Office is forecasting –16C.
Overnight on Wednesday, temperatures fell to as low as -12C at Tulloch Bridge in Scotland, while it was below freezing across much of England and Wales.
Travel disruption to road and rail services are likely on Thursday in the warning areas, as well as the potential for accidents in icy places, the forecaster said.
A yellow warning for snow and ice is in place for northern Scotland until midnight on Thursday and another snow and ice warning is in force for Northern Ireland until 11am on Thursday as sleet and snow showers are set to continue.
A yellow fog warning is in place for Northern Ireland until 9am on Thursday.
A further yellow warning for snow and ice affecting Cornwall, much of Wales and parts of north-west England has been issued until 11am on Thursday. A yellow ice warning has been issued for parts of southern England and south-east Wales until 10.30am on Thursday.
Here are some of the latest updates related to the UK’s freezing weather:
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As icy conditions persist, motorists are being urged to stick to major roads that are most likely to have been gritted. Car insurer RAC said it has seen the highest levels of demand for rescues in a three-day period since December 2022.
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Oli Claydon, spokesperson for the Met Office, told the PA news agency it will be “bitterly cold” on Thursday night. He said the lowest temperatures will be recorded in rural Scotland and rural northern England where there is lying snow, cloudless skies and very cold airflow.
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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended its cold weather health alert for all of England until Sunday. Amber alerts have been extended and will now run until 12 January, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.
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The country has been hit by widespread flooding in recent days and a danger to life flood warning was issued for Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire as firefighters had to rescue dozens of people stranded in rising water. Scores of flood warnings and alerts remain in place for England, but hundreds have been removed and the weather is set to be drier over the next few days.