-
A train exits a tunnel at Clayton near Brighton in southern England December 18, 2009. Commuters and air passengers faced delays and disruption across much of Britain on Friday after heavy snowfall with the forecaster saying more was on the wa - Source: Reuters -
Related
Severe weather is continuing to cause widespread misery and disruption for travellers across Britain, with freezing conditions in some parts closing roads and delaying flights and trains.
The Met Office said more snow and sleet is expected to fall across the UK with Scotland likely worst hit as the cold snap persists for the next few days.
Forecasters said heavy snow and blizzards will affect the west and northern parts of Scotland most. Emergency services in the highlands said people should not travel unless absolutely necessary.
John Hammond of the Met Office said fresh snowfalls were expected in western parts of Scotland and down into northwest England as far south as the Manchester area through the course of the day.
He said the south will also be hit by a band of snow and rain that will drift across the home counties on Monday afternoon up towards parts of east Anglia and the east Midlands.
"We could see some rain, sleet and snow falling perhaps. And we may see a few centimetres of snow falling in a few spots later this afternoon and evening," he said.
Hammond said the cold snap will continue for the next few days with temperatures struggling to get above freezing and dropping to minus 4 degrees centigrade in some areas.
Heavy snow in parts of Yorkshire and Cumbria has caused major disruption to travellers with some drivers abandoning their cars.
Driving conditions are hazardous in Greater Manchester, including the M60 motorway and some smaller roads are closed.
Delays and cancellations were reported at a number of airports including Manchester, Heathrow, Gatwick and Bristol.
Hundreds of people were stranded at Manchester airport overnight after flights were suspended due to heavy snow.
A spokesman for the airport said flights were still experiencing knock-on effects from Sunday's severe weather.
In the south, Kent's roads have suffered icy conditions and heavy snow as well as a backlog of traffic caused by Friday night's closure of Eurotunnel services and the temporary closure of Calais port due to bad weather in France.
Eurostar halted trains for a third day on Monday as the investigation into the weekend breakdowns continued.