Bank holiday washout as Arctic blast bites back: Travel chaos with ice warning in place in the north with heavy rain set to hit parts of the UK from today
- Rain to hit the UK today as snow and ice warnings remain in place for north
- Forecasters warn of travel chaos due to icy patches caused by snow and frost
- Milder yet unsettled conditions are expected in the south during Bank Holiday
Heavy rain is set to hit parts of the UK today with Britons warned to prepare for a Bank holiday washout and even potential flood risks.
Tuesday kicks off with a chilly and icy start in the north and east of England, with unsettled and mild conditions expected elsewhere, according to the Met Office.
Snow and ice yellow warnings remain in place in Scotland and the north of England, with wintry showers last night leading to an ice risk on untreated surfaces.
An ice warning in place from 6pm last night to 10am today covers the northwest of Scotland and England.
A rower pulling across the water on Bristol’s harbourside just after sunrise on Tuesday
Rain is forecast for today as it sweeps across much of the UK
A yellow snow and ice warning remains in place this morning. Pictured: snow in Leadhills village in South Lanarkshire on Boxing Day
Two more ice and snow warnings are in place until the 3pm today in Scotland, with falling snow expected to lead to travel disruption on roads, trains and other public transport.
It comes as train passengers were warned to expected more disruption today after the latest walkout by union members comes to an end.
ScotRail said most of its schedule services had started by 8am, but in some parts of the country, such as Stirling, no trains will run until 5pm due to shift start times of Network Rail signallers.
Network Rail said 70 per cent of services will be operating but urged passengers to check their travel times.
The Met Office has issued urgent snow and ice warnings across the UK for today as swathes of the country are hit by deadly driving conditions
More snow is expected to fall in Scotland today. Pictured: Walkers out on Boxing Day on one of the Eildon Hills near Melrose in the Scottish borders
Meanwhile, forecasters warn of icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths which could lead to injuries or accidents.
There is also a chance of difficult driving conditions after patchy snow and wintry showers last night, and more rain on the way today.
As of 10am on Tuesday, there are currently 23 flood alerts in place across the UK, according to the Environment Agency.
River levels are ‘high but steady’ on the Chertsey Bourne, running through Berkshire and Surrey, as a result of previous heavy rainfall.
The Environment Agency has issued 23 alerts for possible flooding in England
While property flooding is not expected, further light rainfall is forecast for this afternoon and the agency said it was ‘closely monitoring the situation’ for any changes.
Britons should expect milder, wetter, windier weather than in previous days.
Wind and rain in the west will move east as the morning progresses, falling as snow over parts of Scotland.
As the day progresses, the west will see drier conditions. Into the evening the rain will clear in the east but the Met Office forecasts it will linger in the far north.
A huge line of shoppers has been queuing outside the Next branch in Cardiff since before dawn today
The south of England will see drier weather before more showers hit it later – with many braving the chilly morning conditions yet again to head out for the Boxing Day sales.
Across the UK, temperatures will mostly stay in single digits – with the mercury creeping up to 11C in the very south of England.
Last night, sky watchers were treated to a rare sighting of the Northern Lights in the far north of Scotland.
The rare natural phenomenon was spotted in Caithness, right at the very top of the country, after the Met Office said weather conditions made it ideal for aurora borealis sightings.
Boxing Day revellers enjoyed a dip in the sea on Britain’s shores. Pictured: Ventonor on the Isle of Wight today
Families strolled along Longsands Beach in Tynemouth in the North East of England (pictured)
Meanwhile, Boxing Day revellers enjoyed the traditional dip in the sea on Britain’s shores.
Braving the cold, participants wearing Father Christmas hats and bikinis plunged into chilly waters across the UK, with events in England, Wales and Scotland.
The was a big turn out and big waves at the annual Boxing Day swim in Ventonor on the Isle of Wight, while others strolled along Longsands Beach in Tynemouth in the North East of England.
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