Weather latest: UK braces for temperatures to plummet to -20C as snow warning for London – UK Times

A woman, who lives near the Proctors Pleasure Park in Leicestershire, called the flooding around Barrow upon Soar “unprecedented”.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, told the PA news agency: “I’ve never seen it as bad as this. It flooded last January but not like this.

“They put in new flood defences – it used to flood all the time then it stopped, but this is unprecedented.

“It’s a flood plain, that’s what it’s for but they build houses on it and nobody will acknowledge it or accept it.”

A yellow warning for snow and ice came into effect across Northern Ireland at 3pm yesterday and is expected to remain in place until midday today.

Police have reported that several roads are impassable due to severe weather conditions, with numerous schools closing earlier because of heavy snowfall.

A widespread sharp frost and icy patches are anticipated overnight, potentially making this morning’s commute more challenging.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has advised drivers to exercise caution on icy roads across the region, while some bus services have also been disrupted.

At least 101 flood warnings are in force across England and more rain, sleet and snow are on the way, risking further disruption.

The Environment Agency has urged people to remain vigilant over the coming days as flood warnings are still in place and a mixture of melting snow and saturated catchments could lead to further disruption in parts of England.

There is the potential for another frontal system to move in from the southwest on Wednesday, bringing further snow and ice. A Yellow Warning is currently in place to cover this.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Mike Silverstone, explained: “There is a chance of a further spell of rain, sleet and snow moving in from the southwest on Wednesday to affect some southern parts of the UK.”

“Whilst not all those in the warning area may be affected, it is possible that that 2-5 cm of snow may accumulate fairly widely. Whether this system will brush the south of the UK or miss us altogether still remains a little uncertain, but we’ll continue to assess this over the next day or two. Weather warnings may well be updated, so it’s important people stay up to date with the forecast.”

At least 300 properties have flooded and 41,000 have been bolstered by flood protections across England since New Year’s Eve, according to estimates by the Environment Agency.

Snowmelt has brought further disruption to parts of England, particularly in the Midlands, following the heavy rainfall over the New Year. It saw significant river and surface water flooding across the North West of England and Yorkshire, the Environment Agency said.

Floods minister Emma Hardy said: “My sympathies go out to the people, businesses and communities impacted by the recent flooding across the country.

“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe. People must continue to follow their advice and sign up for flood warnings.”

The coldest nights of the year are expected this week, with temperatures potentially reaching -14C tonight in the North East of England and Scotland.

The Met Office has forecast a further drop of 2C tomorrow, with temperatures expected to plunge to -16C in places.

A fresh weather warning is set to come into force as it is revealed that 300 properties have flooded across England since New Year’s Eve.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow covering southern counties of England from 9am until midnight, which could prove disruptive.

Between two and five centimetres of snow could accumulate fairly widely and as much as 10cm over higher ground, with the warning stretching as far as south London.

Weather warnings issued on Tuesday for snow and ice covering the Midlands, parts of North Wales, the North West of England, west and northern parts of Scotland as well as Northern Ireland remain in place until midday.

Some roads and railways are likely to be affected, and there could be icy patches on untreated roads, the forecaster said.

Stefan Laeger, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, said: “The recent heavy rain combined with melting snow means it is probable significant river flooding will continue in Leicestershire, with minor river flooding probable in some other parts of the country, continuing through to Thursday for some larger rivers.

“Environment Agency teams continue to be out on the ground, operating flood defences, taking action to reduce the impact of flooding, issuing flood warnings and supporting those communities affected.

“We urge people to remain vigilant over the next few days and advise anyone travelling to be especially careful, and urge people to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through floodwater as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to move your car.”

Neil Monteith, 49, owns a caravan on the front row of the Proctors Pleasure Park, near Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire, which was surrounded by flood water on Tuesday morning.

He said he no longer lives in the caravan but has “never seen” the flooding this bad before.

He said: “(The water) is the highest I’ve seen it, I’ve never seen it this bad before.”

Mr Monteith added that he only keeps furniture inside but said that it is “more than likely” damaged.