Travellers have been warned of across-the-board disruption on Britain’s rail services as temperatures drop to 3C – with additional ‘Big Freeze’ chaos to come.
Temperatures are set to plunge below zero in parts of the UK this week as emergency services continue to deal with the aftermath of Storm Claudia.
The nation will be hit by freezing Arctic air, and the first snow warning of the season has been issued.
A Yellow warning has been put in place for the Highlands and Eilean Siar, with a period of snow likely to disrupt travel. Snow is also predicted to fall in parts of northern England by Tuesday.
Yellow cold health warnings have also been issued in northern and central England until Friday.
Saturday night marked the coldest recorded since March, with temperatures falling to -7C in Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands.
In some areas of England and Wales, Storm Claudia dumped more than a month’s worth of rain, flooding homes and necessitating evacuations.
Residents in Monmouth, south-east Wales, were dramatically rescued from their homes over the weekend after overnight flooding, but a major incident alert, which warned of a ‘danger to life’, has been lifted.
Worcester was also struck by flooding and power cuts as the River Severn burst its banks. Homes and miles of fields remained swamped on Monday.
Freezing temperatures are likely to follow this week, with the Met Office predicting ‘a cold week ahead with some snow, frost and ice.’
A cold snap is forecast to seize Britain in the coming days, with snow and ice a possibility after what has been a spell of above-average temperatures, the forecaster said.
And now National Rail has been updating passengers on how their journeys will be disrupted, from the West Midlands to the West Country.
Buses are replacing trains between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley on West Midlands Railway services until at least 2.30 pm on Monday.
Wolverhampton and Birmingham International Airport are two of these impacted routes.
No trains will operate between Hereford and Newport until the end of Monday due to Storm Claudia flooding – affecting numerous routes, including between Chester and Cardiff Central, Manchester Piccadilly and Swansea.
Additionally, the railway route between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple has been closed due to flooding caused by heavy rain.
Meanwhile, the AA told motorists to avoid travelling in ‘hazardous weather’.
National Rail said: ‘Slippery rails between Walsall and Rugeley Trent Valley mean all lines are blocked. As a result, trains may be cancelled or revised.’
Elsewhere, there is also disruption on services between Plymouth in Devon and Penzance in Cornwall – affecting both Cross Country and Great Western Railway.
Cold weather in the winter is not uncommon; it’s to be expected. It’s called climate change, it occurs four times a year, it’s called Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
Big freeze at 3C, well that’s a classic! Makes you wonder how Nordic countries manage.
England used to have extremely bad weather years ago, but I don’t recall missing school; I just went off to school dressed up warm with wellies on.
I can even recall my bedroom window freezing up on the inside, and it was so cold that I would get dressed in bed. Then a quick lick and promise at the bathroom sink before going down to breakfast. You got what you were given for breakfast, like it or lump it. Then it was over an hour to school.
If the central heating was not working in school, it was extremely rare that we were allowed home, and by the time we did go home, it was already getting dark and freezing cold, but I don’t remember feeling disadvantaged. It was what it was. We survived!
Elderly folks, on the other hand, have a somewhat different situation. They need to stay warm, but due to increased electricity and heating prices, they are too scared to turn on their heating, and many of them pass away over the winter.
THE MONTHLY MOSQUITO 