Snow wreaks havoc on travel in London; 3 kids die after falling in lake
The coldest conditions in more than a decade across parts of the United Kingdom were accompanied by a wintry storm that caused accidents, forced motorways to close and delayed numerous flights.
A thick blanket of snow covered parts of England, causing widespread travel disruptions on Dec. 12.
Residents across the United Kingdom woke up to snowy scenes and bitter cold Monday morning that snarled travel and tragically led to the deaths of three young children.
The victims, all young boys ranging in age from 8-11, were walking over a frozen lake in central England Sunday afternoon when the ice cracked beneath them, plunging them into the frigid water, The Associated Press reported. A 6-year-old survived but remains in the hospital in critical condition.
Rescuers searched into Tuesday for other children who may have been with the group, but stressed that no one else was reported missing, according to BBC News.
"The cold weather we saw at the weekend meant that many bodies of water froze over and created hazardous conditions. We appreciate the temptation to walk across or play on the frozen water but we would like to urge everyone to know what dangers are associated with frozen water," Lee Heard, the charity director at the Royal Life Saving Society UK, said in a statement.
"Our advice is to never go on to the ice under any circumstances. The ice may appear thicker than it is but please be aware that ice is vulnerable, especially as you move further from the edge," Heard said.
Weather alerts were hoisted for downtown London and surrounding areas at the end of the weekend as a storm packing rain, snow and sleet moved into the region.
The U.K. Meteorological Office received snow accumulation reports on Sunday evening ranging from a coating in portions of Wales and England to 1.50-3.50 inches (4-9 cm) in the Essex region. The Charlwood village in Surrey, England, located south of London, received 2 inches (5 cm).
People enjoy the snow at Parliament Square in London, Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. Snow and ice have swept across parts of the UK, with cold wintry conditions set to continue for days. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
In downtown London, snowfall amounts varied sharply. Lighter snow was reported in western suburbs while northern and eastern areas were blanketed with as much as 4-5 inches (10-12 cm) of snow. Reports in the city itself were around 2 inches (5-6 cm).
Snow amounts toward London's Heathrow Airport were generally under 1 inch (2 cm).
"The late time it snowed in December in London was Dec. 10, 2017," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Roys said. During that storm, 1 inch (2 cm) was reported at Heathrow.
"The last time the city had more snow than this was back on Dec. 18, 2010, when 4 inches fell," Roys noted.
Although snowfall reports in London were not quite as high as the 2010 event, the wintry weather proved disruptive for travelers. Motorways were shut down throughout the region as a result of multiple accidents on snow-covered roads, BBC News reported. London City, Gatwick and Stansted airports all faced flight delays, according to the AP.
The wintry hit was accompanied by the coldest air yet this season. In northern Scotland, the temperature dipped to 3.7 degrees Fahrenheit (15.7 degrees below zero Celsius). If confirmed, Braemar, Aberdeenshire, recorded the coldest day in the United Kingdom since December 2010 on Monday, with the high temperature only reaching 15.3 F (9.3 degrees below zero C).
AccuWeather meteorologists say the cold conditions will persist through much of this week, but additional snowfall is not expected. There can still be travel problems as a result of lingering snow on roads as well as pockets of freezing fog that develop during the overnight hours and continue into the morning commute.
Correction: This story previously misstated the temperature equivalents for parts of Scotland. The temperature of 15.3 degrees Fahrenheit is equivalent to 9.3 degrees below zero Celsius, not 9.3 degrees Celsius. The temperature of 3.7 degrees Fahrenheit is equal to 15.7 degrees below zero Celsius.
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