Snow brings disruption to Midlands as flood warnings grow

SNAPPER SK SCREENGRAB BHAM WEATHER
People are advised to stay safe and stick to COVID-19 regulations as more travel disruption is caused by the extreme icy and snowy weather. Credit: Snapper SK

Across the Midlands, many of us woke up to another day of beautiful snow after the region experienced a blanket of snow this weekend. However, it also brought travel disruption, schools closures and cancelled bin collections due to extremely cold icy conditions.

The Met Office is warning travellers to be careful on roads today. This is after the region experience nightly temperatures as low as -10C, for example it was -9C in the village of Sutton Bonnington, Nottinghamshire. There is a yellow weather warning for ice across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and southern Nottinghamshire from tonight until tomorrow morning also.

There are concerns that the snow falling on some already water-logged and flooded ground, could lead to even more disruption when the thaw sets in. All of this is a knock on effect from Storm Christoph last week, as heavy rainfall caused flooding across the region.

There are still three flood warnings in place for parts of Nottinghamshire. In particular, the Environment Agency are concerned about the River Severn in Bewdley, where worst of the flooding has moved downstream over the weekend and river levels are expected to fall further.

Hundreds of schools across the Midlands are shut today because of the snow and ice. Herefordshire, Sandwell, Telford & Wrekin, Wolverhampton and Worcestershire bore the brunt of closures in the West. In the East, many schools in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, also closed.

Children of critical workers played in the snow this morning at The William Amory Primary School in Stoke-on-Trent Credit: The William Amory Primary School

Police say there have been lots of accidents on the roads today. In Leicestershire, officers said there were 10 accidents by 10:30AM in the county so far today - all since 7am this morning.

Several coronavirus vaccination sites were closed because of the snow. Derbyshire Council closed one in Swadlincote, as well as at Lichfield FC and one in Ross on Wye and Hereford.

Across the West Midlands, Bin collections were cancelled today due to treacherous road conditions. The councils include:

  • Birmingham

  • Solihull

  • Nuneaton & Bedworth

  • North Warwickshire (Coleshill, Water Orton, Wishaw, Curdworth and Middleton)

Many people across the region however have spent the day enjoying the snow, sledging, making snowmen and going for walks.

A calm and chilly morning at the Hill Hook Nature Reserve in Sutton Coldfield Credit: Steve Bryant
Birstall, Leicestershire this morning Credit: Steph Swann