BRITS making their way to work and school this morning were faced with treacherously icy roads and pavements.
Commuters went flying on patches of black ice, while cars and buses crashed off slippery roads.
A woman in Plymouth was even rushed to hospital by air ambulance after slipping on an icy pavement and seriously hurting her leg.
Cars have been seen on their sides and in ditches after crashing off the treacherous roads in the last few days, with drivers warned to take extra care.
It comes as…
And now, the Met Office have explained exactly why this morning was particularly treacherous.
A Met Office spokesperson explained: “A band of rain, sleet and snow crossed the UK on Tuesday night with cold air from the Arctic returning after it cleared.
“That led to widespread frozen surfaces, including black ice, which made roads and pavements particularly slippery on Wednesday morning.”
Black ice is a very thin layer of ice that can form on roads, bridges and lakes.
It is not actually black in colour and is transparent.
As a result, that makes black ice extremely hard to see, which can lead to accidents.
Presenter Aidan Mcgivern added: “Ice is unusual in that it tends to be much more slippery compared with other solid surfaces.
“The reason it’s slippery is that there is a microscopic layer of quasi-liquid water on the surface of ice, even at temperatures far below freezing.
“This is a slippery, jelly-like film that’s more structured than liquid water but less rigid than solid ice. It’s an in-between state with some properties of both.
“At around minus 150°C, it’s just one molecule thick, but as the temperature rises, this layer thickens.”
West Midlands Police posted on X today: “We’ve had a number of reports of collisions this morning as a result of the icy morning. Please take care on the roads.”
A bus full of schoolchildren also left the road and crashed into a ditch this morning, after reportedly losing control on black ice.
No injuries were reported, but the coach was pictured tipping off the side of the road in Kent.
Another bus and a coach collided this morning, leaving nine kids among 18 people hurt in Berkshire.
Fire services have also warned walkers to stay off frozen water after several people and dogs fell through thin ice.
One steep road in Buckinghamshire has been closed by police after 12 accidents were reported on the same stretch.
It had been gritted, but it was still too dangerous after a water leak led to frozen liquid coating the route.
A commuter in London was snapped as he fell over on an icy pavement in Little Venice this morning.
Videos show cars losing control and skidding on roads as drivers desperately try to stop.
One doorbell camera captured a man trying to leg it across his drive to avoid the slippery patches – only to lose his footing on the pavement.
Another showed a woman leaving her home, slipping on an invisible patch of ice as she made her way to her car.
“The tarmac was covered in black ice – I lay there wondering what just happened”, she said.
RAC warned motorists to take extra care on roads because of the “almost impossible to spot” black ice.
Drivers should slow down and leave extra space between the car in front.
If a car does start skidding, RAC advises the driver to “steer gently into the direction of the skid to keep the car straight”, using the gears to slow down if necessary.
It comes as temperatures plunged to as low as -12C in Mareham – a village near Horncastle, Lincolnshire – yesterday.
There could be up to 8 inches (20cm) of snow in some areas of Wales today, according to the Met Office.
A yellow warning for ice covered most of England, Wales and southern Scotland until 10am today.
A danger to life warning has been issued ahead of Storm Goretti, with 12 inches of snow and 70mph winds set to batter the UK.
A yellow wind warning on the south coast means lives could be at risk from flying debris and large waves.
A fresh amber snow warning will also cover some parts of Wales, the Midlands, Yorkshire and south west England.
Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry and Derby are all under the alert, which comes into force at 8pm tomorrow and will last until 9am on Friday.
The Met Office warned that travel delays will be likely, stranding some vehicles and passengers.
This is because rain from Storm Goretti will turn into heavy snow on Thursday evening – and could be 11 inches deep in some areas like Wales and the Peak District.
The forecaster has urged those covered by the warning not to drive, to prep for power cuts and to look after vulnerable people who live alone.
The yellow wind warning for the south comes into force from 3pm tomorrow until 6am on Friday, with gusts of between 50 and 70mph expected.
There is also an amber warning for wind in Cornwall tomorrow from 5pm until 11pm.
The warning means there will be a “danger to life” from large waves and debris being thrown onto beachfront roads and properties.
It covers the Scilly Isles and parts of Cornwall including Truro and Newquay.
There could be power cuts, travel delays and damage to buildings and bridges.
Gusts of 50-60 mph are likely but could reach 70 mph around exposed headlands and coasts.
A yellow weather warning for snow and ice was plastered across almost the entire country this morning, with Brits warned to take care on dangerous roads and pavements.
The UK’s 5 Day Forecast
Today:
An icy start for many. Plenty of dry weather around though with some sunshine. Sleet and snow showers across northern and northeastern Scotland. Thicker cloud with rain arriving across Northern Ireland, southwest Wales and southwest England later. A cold wind.
Thursday:
Bright spells in the north but with showers, mainly northern and western Scotland where some wintry. Turning wet and windy further south with snow, especially on hills. Coastal gales developing.
Outlook for Friday to Sunday:
Wind, rain and snow associated with storm Goretti clearing eastwards on Friday. Mostly fine on Saturday. Frost early and late. Further wet and windy weather, with some snow arriving Sunday.
It comes after dramatic pictures showed an entire London canal frozen over with narrowboats stuck in the ice today, as the UK is gripped by bone-chilling weather.
The Little Venice canal in Westminster, central London is frozen this morning.
Colourful boats can be seen moored along the side, stuck in the ice as birds walk along the surface.
Regent’s Canal in the capital is also solid, as are canals in Stourbridge, the Trent and Mersey Canal, and Llangollen in north Wales.
Parents have been told to keep an eye on their kids, as the ice is often thinner than it seems.
A dog was rescued from icy water at a Birmingham park yesterday after it plunged through the frozen surface.
Husky Mika went out onto ice at Manor Farm Park, but was rescued by emergency services after the elderly owner called 999.
West Midlands Fire Service said: “Remember: if your dog ventures on to ice, NEVER follow them. You could quickly get into difficulty and turn one emergency into two.
“Call 999 and ask for the fire service. Try to keep your pet in sight. Encourage them to move towards the edge.
“Please keep dogs on leads near frozen lakes, ponds, and rivers, especially during the cold spell.”
Yesterday, shocking pictures showed the moment a child appeared to use a hammer and chisel on a frozen lake as adults watched on safely from shore.
On the weekend, a man shuffled across the frozen surface on his hands and knees after spotting someone had broken through the ice and was struggling in the water.
The first man had gone on the ice to try and rescue a dog.
On Sunday, a 13-year-old boy plunged through thin ice and into water in Tunstall Park and was treated at the scene by emergency services.
Also on Sunday, a dog sadly died in Painswick Park, in south Manchester, after becoming trapped under the ice of a frozen lake.
The pet was found dead in the water by firefighters.
This week has already seen swathes of school closures, car crashes, flights cancelled and widespread disruption to train services.
French meteorological service, Meteo France, has named the incoming storm Goretti, though the exact track it will take over the island remains uncertain.
The sub-zero temperatures will persist until the storm hits with the storm expected to bring heavy snowfall and strong winds.
