AMAZING PICTURES: SNOWY BRITAIN

Much of Britain was covered by snow today

Tuesday December 2,2008

By Nicola McCafferty for express.co.uk

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BITTERLY cold winds and wintry snow showers battered Britain today, as the first of a series of Arctic blasts brought chaos to roads and schools.

Thousands of schoolchildren were given a day off as heavy snowfall led to the closure of around 200 schools in the north-west part of the country.

Motorists faced treacherous driving conditions after snow fell overnight and turned to ice as temperatures plummeted to as low as minus 4 degrees in some areas.

In Scotland forecasters issued a severe weather warning as heavy snow plagued northern areas and brought black ice to roads across the country.

Forecasters predict more snowfall for the next few days

And forecasters are predicting that the big freeze will batter the rest of Britain as it heads to the southern counties over the next few days.

SEE OUR AMAZING PICTURES OF SNOWY BRITAIN TODAY

A MeteoGroup spokeswoman said: “The snow today is nothing compared to what it’s going to be on Thursday.”

Elsewhere long queues brought misery to commuters and many routes were closed as a result of the dangerous conditions.

Forecasters said about 1in (2.5cm) of snow fell in the north-west, creating poor driving conditions and resulting in 200 school closures across Cumbria, Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

The region was the worst hit by today's cold snap, with heavy snow settling in hilly areas such as Lancashire, Bury and Bolton.

Meteogroup forecaster Victoria Kettney said: “Overnight Wednesday a warm front of air from the west will hit a colder front, causing snow.

“The worst hit areas will be the east of the UK, with heavy snow expected in Scotland and the North of England.

“Up to 4in (10cm) of snow is predicted on high ground in Scotland, while around 1.5in (4cm) could fall on high areas in the North of England.

“The snowfall will continue into Thursday and will be followed by rain.”

Meanwhile, Ladbrokes has cut the chance of a white Christmas in London to 11/4 from 3/1 following another run of money.

The bookmaker was originally offering 7/1 for snow on December 25 in the capital.

But plummeting temperatures have forced Ladbrokes to slash the odds and a white Christmas could cost bookies up to £1 million.

Spokesman Nick Weinberg said: “We’re frozen with fear at the prospect of a white Christmas.

“Interest in the traditional festive wager has gone into overdrive this year.”

Glasgow is 2/1 to see snow, from an opening quote of 8/1. Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester are at 4/1.

SEE OUR AMAZING PICTURES OF SNOWY BRITAIN TODAY