Scotland set for 'highest-ever' weather warning as Beast from the East claims four lives

Snow warnings could be upgraded to their highest-ever level in Scotland as theThe Beast from the East continues to sweep across the UK.

Icy conditions claimed four lives as heavy snow and freezing temperatures led to chaos on the roads on Tuesday.

Three were killed in a crash in Lincolnshire and another man died after a collision in Cambridgeshire on Tuesday morning.

The Met Office said several centimetres of snow had fallen in some parts overnight, with between 3cm and 4cm in Newcastle and Northumberland.

And Scotland’s Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said amber warnings for snow and freezing winds across swathes of Scotland could be changed to red for extreme weather in certain areas, where forecasters have predicted there could be up to 40cm of snow and a wind chill of -10C.

Mr Yousaf told BBC Radio Scotland: “There is a possibility that the amber warning could be in some areas upgraded to a red. That is a warning for snow that we have never seen since the modern system has come into place in Scotland, that’s what the Met Office tell me.

Met Office guidance for red warnings states: “Widespread damage, travel and power disruption and risk to life is likely. You must avoid dangerous areas and follow the advice of the emergency services and local authorities.”

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Motorists were warned to take extra care on the roads and drive due to snowy conditions that wreaked havoc on Tuesday.

As well as the four deaths reported, another man suffered “possibly life-threatening” injuries after a van crashed into a tractor carrying a livestock trailer on the A30 near Bodmin.

There were 20 collisions within three hours on Lincolnshire’s roads, including a school bus with 45 pupils on board, police said.

The children were unharmed after their bus collided with a car and veered off the road near Deeping St James.

Highways England said the M20 in Kent had become blocked by a “number” of stranded lorries overnight, while the A249 was shut due to a crash and North Yorkshire Police said areas around Harrogate and Craven were also particularly treacherous.

The A38 in Plymouth was also partially closed in both directions after a lorry crashed into the central reservation.

Trains have also been affected by the snowfall, with cancellations and disruptions on lines across the country.

British Airways cancelled several flights from Heathrow Airport, while easyJet warned that it expected disruption to its flights.

Many schools across the country were shut, including more than 200 in Wales, 131 in Kent and 62 in East Sussex.

Amber warnings for snow are in place for the South East and North East of England and the East Midlands until midday, while a yellow warning covering much of the country is in force until midnight.

Shoppers panic-bought in some areas, with images showing supermarkets jam-packed with people stocking up due to the inclement weather.

Charlotte Day posted pictures of huge queues at a Tesco Extra branch in Gillingham, Kent, which she said had been left with queues of at least 35 minutes and empty shelves reminiscent of scenes at Christmas.

The 24-year-old, from Medway, Kent, said: “Shoppers were walking around with a panicked look on their faces. Some people had six or seven loaves in their basket.”

Forecasters are predicting 5cm-10cm of snow will fall for most areas of the UK, with up to 40cm possible for higher grounds in Scotland.

Forecaster Frank Saunders said parts of the country could see their “coldest spell of weather since at least 2013, and possibly since 1991”.
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It is expected that the mercury could plummet to minus 15C by midweek where there is snow on the ground, rivalling temperatures forecast for parts of northern Norway and Iceland.

From Thursday, forecasters predict that another weather system, Storm Emma, will bring blizzards, gales and sleet as it meets the chilly “Beast from the East” later this week.

The storm, named by the Portuguese Met Service, will move north through Europe and is due to hit the UK on Thursday and Friday, and will be “significantly disruptive”, bringing the risk of power cuts and transport delays.