Storm Darcy is set to bring SIX more inches of snow today amid -7C chill

Storm Darcy is set to bring six more inches of snow today amid a -7C chill with warnings of travel chaos and power cuts after blizzards shut vaccine centres and schools.

Snowfalls have continued over parts of England and Scotland overnight, with temperatures remaining below freezing across the country this morning.

Police have today warned people not to travel due to the dangerous conditions on the roads, while some schools and Covid vaccination centres will shut today.

A yellow weather warning for up to 15cm (6in) of snow to fall in eastern parts of the country today follows depths of up to 30cm in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, 23cm in Andrewsfield, Essex and 14cm in Manston, Kent. 

While most of the country Met Office alert remains at a yellow level, Stirling and Perth in Scotland remain under an an amber warning today, putting the area at a higher risk of power cuts, while rural communities could be cut off with delays on roads likely.

Icy conditions in Glasgow overnight were captured by passers-by, as they filmed cars losing control at the top of the hill before skidding down toward other crashed vehicles. 

Temperatures dropped to -8C on Monday as a ‘bitterly cold’ weather system swept in from Ukraine and the Black Sea.

They are expected to reach -7C today, before dropping as low as -12C overnight in the early hours of Wednesday morning. 

Covid vaccine centres in parts of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk shut their doors, along with hundreds of schools which had previously been open for the children of key workers. 

Clare Greene, principal of Eastcote Primary Academy in Bexley, on the edge of Kent and Greater London, said: ‘Looking forward to a snow day tomorrow. Online learning tasks include making a snowman and having a snowball fight.

‘The remote learning tasks will be: make a snowman, go sledging, have a snowball fight and show me a pic of a snow angel. I’m sure one parent will complain, I just don’t care.’

In Norfolk, 349 of its 422 schools stayed shut, along with schools in Stowmarket and Norfolk. 

Leicester has woken up to a blanket of snow this morning, with temperatures expected to drop as low as -7C later today, amid continuing weather warnings across Britain

Earlier this morning a car skidded off the road in Kikliston, West Lothian as snow and icy conditions continue to plague Scottish roads this week

Earlier this morning a car skidded off the road in Kikliston, West Lothian as snow and icy conditions continue to plague Scottish roads this week

Freezing temperatures and bitter winds have made for difficult conditions around London Bridge this morning amid weather warnings last until tomorrow

Freezing temperatures and bitter winds have made for difficult conditions around London Bridge this morning amid weather warnings last until tomorrow 

Storm Darcy is set to bring up to six inches of snow across eastern parts of the UK today, after further flurries in Leicester

Storm Darcy is set to bring up to six inches of snow across eastern parts of the UK today, after further flurries in Leicester

A yellow weather warning for up to 15cm (6in) of snow in eastern parts of the country today follows depths of up to 30cm in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, 23cm in Andrewsfield, Essex and 14cm in Manston, Kent. There was a thick layer in Leicester today

A yellow weather warning for up to 15cm (6in) of snow in eastern parts of the country today follows depths of up to 30cm in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, 23cm in Andrewsfield, Essex and 14cm in Manston, Kent. There was a thick layer in Leicester today

Locals in Bermondsey today headed out for some early morning shopping after hundreds of schools shut for a snow day in the East yesterday

Locals in Bermondsey today headed out for some early morning shopping after hundreds of schools shut for a snow day in the East yesterday 

Temperatures are expected to reach -7C today, before dropping as low as -12C overnight in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Commuters were out braving freezing temperatures in Bermondsey, London, this morning

Temperatures are expected to reach -7C today, before dropping as low as -12C overnight in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Commuters were out braving freezing temperatures in Bermondsey, London, this morning

Yellow weather warnings remain in place, with an amber alert in Perthshire

Temperatures reached lows of -8C yesterday

Yellow and amber weather alerts remain in place across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland today, after temperatures dropped to -8C yesterday

Disruption has also hit rail services, with Southeastern advising passengers not to travel and Greater Anglia expecting disruption until midday. 

A foot of snow has already been reported in Tendring, Essex, while drifts of up to three feet have been reported in parts of East Anglia. 

In the east of England, several Covid-19 vaccination centres were closed, including; Clacton Hospital, Colchester United’s stadium, Gainsborough Sports Centre in Ipswich, and Chevington Close in Bury St Edmunds.

Five Covid-19 vaccination centres closed in Suffolk at Debenham, Haverhill, Ipswich (Trinity Park), Stowmarket and Woodbridge. This meant 10 were shut in total, LBC reported. 

Meanwhile, 400 schools in Norfolk have had to shut their doors to all pupils.  

Police forces in parts of Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex told drivers not to travel as roads became ‘impassable’ due to settled snow.

Scotland saw around a foot of snow fall in Aberdeenshire yesterday, while snow and ice made for treacherous conditions in West Lothian, where a car skidded off the road and nearly hit a house overnight

Scotland saw around a foot of snow fall in Aberdeenshire yesterday, while snow and ice made for treacherous conditions in West Lothian, where a car skidded off the road and nearly hit a house overnight

Londoners pulled their boots on this morning as they dealt with icy patches in the area around London Bridge

Londoners pulled their boots on this morning as they dealt with icy patches in the area around London Bridge 

Weather warnings for snow are in place for the East of England and Scotland until Wednesday night, with bitter winds blowing in from eastern Europe

Weather warnings for snow are in place for the East of England and Scotland until Wednesday night, with bitter winds blowing in from eastern Europe

Roads and footpaths are blanketed in snow in Larbert, central Scotland, as eastern winds blow wintry conditions further inland

Roads and footpaths are blanketed in snow in Larbert, central Scotland, as eastern winds blow wintry conditions further inland

Strong easterly winds will make it feel very cold across southern UK, with further snow showers feeding westwards. London woke up to temperatures around freezing this morning

Strong easterly winds will make it feel very cold across southern UK, with further snow showers feeding westwards. London woke up to temperatures around freezing this morning

Disruption has also hit rail services, with Southeastern advising passengers not to travel and Greater Anglia expecting disruption until midday. Commuters are braving icy streets in Bermondsey this morning

Disruption has also hit rail services, with Southeastern advising passengers not to travel and Greater Anglia expecting disruption until midday. Commuters are braving icy streets in Bermondsey this morning

Police forces in parts of Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex told drivers not to travel as roads became 'impassable' due to settled snow. Roads have been gritted in Bermondsey for traffic this morning

Police forces in parts of Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex told drivers not to travel as roads became ‘impassable’ due to settled snow. Roads have been gritted in Bermondsey for traffic this morning

While London, pictured Bermondsey this morning, has been able to operate as normal, snow in the East caused 10 Covid-19 vaccination centres to close yesterday

While London, pictured Bermondsey this morning, has been able to operate as normal, snow in the East caused 10 Covid-19 vaccination centres to close yesterday

Road closures were announced in Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire and Hertfordshire.

Suffolk Highways said conditions were ‘worsening’, comparing the recent weather to the ‘Beast from the East’ of 2018.

People in Kent were told to expect slower traffic, with police echoing many forces around the country in warning drivers only to travel ‘if necessary’.

The AA said the ‘treacherous driving conditions’ led to ‘numerous’ accidents on UK roads today.

Spokesman Ben Sheridan said: ‘Roads will be lethal where snow and ice has hit the UK. 

‘If you must travel, reduce your speed to account for the conditions and leave plenty of space behind other vehicles.

‘Don’t forget to clear snow from the windows, lights and roof of the car so you can see and be seen, and watch out for black ice and compacted snow, especially in rural areas.’

Meanwhile, National Rail has told train passengers that services across the country are likely to be affected by the conditions.

Council workers have been out clearing streets for pedestrians this morning amid a bitterly cold start to Tuesday in London

Council workers have been out clearing streets for pedestrians this morning amid a bitterly cold start to Tuesday in London

The coronavirus vaccination centre at Gainsborough sports centre in Ipswich, Suffolk, which was closed today due to the snow

The coronavirus vaccination centre at Gainsborough sports centre in Ipswich, Suffolk, which was closed today due to the snow 

The firm said ‘it may be necessary to close some routes’, and urged customers to travel ‘later in the morning’.

Southern Rail announced service cancellations in south-east London, while networks in Kent and Essex have closed train lines.

Several Covid-19 vaccination centres remain closed, including: Clacton Hospital, Colchester United’s stadium, Gainsborough Sports Centre in Ipswich and Chevington Close in Bury St Edmunds.

A number of schools were closed across the south-east of England and Lincolnshire. 

Yellow snow and ice warnings are also in place for much of the rest of the UK, with people told to expect ‘frequent’ wintry showers that ‘may lead to travel disruption in places’.

The warnings, stretching across northern England to Belfast in Northern Ireland and down to the south-east of England, says ‘rural communities could become cut off’.

Walkers warned as huge fissure opens up near cliff face 

Coastguard teams have warned people to stay away from cliff edges after a huge crack emerged due to freezing temperatures.

A 50ft wide by 40ft deep stretch of land at the top of Seaford Head in East Sussex had to be fenced off on Saturday.

The massive fissure ruptured through the clifftop ‘close to where a huge collapse’ occurred at the picturesque Birling Gap on Friday morning, according to Newhaven Coastguard.

A 50ft wide by 40ft deep stretch of land at the top of Seaford Head in East Sussex had to be fenced off on Saturday

A 50ft wide by 40ft deep stretch of land at the top of Seaford Head in East Sussex had to be fenced off on Saturday

Temperatures are expected to plummet below 0C (32F) for most of the UK.

The Met Office said: ‘Strong easterly winds will make it feel bitterly cold across much of the UK, with further snow showers feeding westwards.

‘These showers merging into some longer spells of snow over some eastern areas, whilst always drier and brighter further west.’

The warnings will run into Wednesday. 

Between 10cm (4in) and 15cm (6in) of snow is ‘plausible’ in areas where showers ‘merge into more organised and prolonged spells’.

Public Health England (PHE) has issued a cold weather alert for the whole of the country, saying it could have ‘a serious impact on health’.

Dr Owen Landeg, of PHE, said: ‘For older people and those with heart and lung problems, it can increase the risks of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections.’  

Yesterday a man who is thought to have been kite-surfing died at a beach amid the stormy weather.

RAC Breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: ‘With heavy snowfall affecting many parts of the south and east, we are asking drivers to think extremely carefully before setting out today. 

‘Where roads remain open, conditions are challenging and unless you can be confident both you and your car are up to the task of some seriously wintry driving, staying at home is definitely the best option. 

‘Our expert local patrols are working extremely hard to attend all drivers who are running into problems.’

 Suffolk Police said the death of the man, who was found by passers-by on the shore at Walberswick beach, is not thought to be suspicious.

Police said it is believed the man, who was in his 50s, had been kite-surfing.