A fresh blast of snow and blizzards has wreaked havoc in parts of the UK, closing schools and creating treacherous conditions on the roads.
A sudden burst of hail and snow in Lancashire caused a 24-car pile-up, with local police describing the scenes as “carnage” and urging road users to either drive slowly or remain at home.
Spring might be well underway but parts of England and Scotland have been left looking like a winter wonderland.
Read more: Britain braced for -5C freeze as ‘polar plume’ brings snow and ice
Northumberland and Cumbria faced blizzard conditions, while some roads in Scotland have been closed due to wintry weather.
Forecasts suggest up to 10cm of snow could fall in a space of seven hours today (April 3rd) in some areas, while other parts of the country gripped by chilly weather could see sleet, hail, thunderstorms and gales.
Now, the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow in part of northern England and southern Scotland.
It follows an update from Lancashire Road Police concerning a pile-up on a section of the M55.
Not the best pic (we were a tad busy) but the M55 remains closed between 1 and 3 (both ways) due to a sudden microburst of hail & snow causing a 24 vehicle pile up. Thankfully no serious injuries but it was carnage. Keep an eye on @HighwaysNWEST for the latest updates. #T1TacOps pic.twitter.com/MW7kUIYH0v
— Lancs Road Police (@LancsRoadPolice) April 2, 2019
The force tweeted yesterday (April 2): “The M55 remains closed between 1 and 3 (both ways) due to a sudden microburst of hail and snow causing a 24-vehicle pile-up.
“Thankfully no serious injuries but it was carnage.”
Road closures in Scotland included the A9 at the Slochd, which was shut off in both directions after “heavy snowfall”.
Warning motorists about the situation on Twitter, Tayside Police wrote: “The public are asked to avoid the area if possible and thanked for their patience.”
Police Scotland would like to advise motorists that there is a road closure on the A9 at the Slochd in both directions due to heavy snowfall.
The public are asked to avoid the area if possible and thanked for their patience.— TaysidePolice (@TaysidePolice) April 3, 2019
Elsewhere, a number of schools in the Highlands were closed on Wednesday because of the weather, including Kingussie High School and Strathdearn Primary School.
Cumbria County Council, meanwhile, warned drivers in the region to take care and allow extra time for their journeys.
The authority tweeted: “Snow on high roads is causing hazardous conditions. Find out the latest road conditions before you start your journey.”
Temperatures are forecast to remain in the single figures for most of today, with a deep area of low pressure threatening showers and changeable weather .
Read more: Temperatures to drop by up to 18C following mini ‘heatwave’
According to Mark Wilson, a meteorologist with the Met Office, snow is mostly a high-ground feature although it could hit some lower levels and cause “localised disruption”.
But conditions are expected to improve later this week.
On Friday and into the weekend, many parts of the country are forecast drier and warmer weather.
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