Roads close due to snow as Arctic blast hits North
Traffic has piled up near a section of the A66 which has been closed [PA Media]
Roads have been closed as a weather warning for snow and ice grips the North.
National Highways said the A66 has been shut both ways, between near Brough, Cumbria, and the A67 near Bowes, County Durham, due to snowfall.
Westmorland and Furness Council said the B6276, which runs from Brough to Middleton-in-Teesdale, has also been closed due to the snow and to prevent “motorists from using minor roads and getting stuck”.
A yellow warning for snow and ice is in place across the North East and Cumbria until midday, with police advising travellers to allow extra time and drive according to the conditions.
Those travelling across the Pennines have been advised to look for alternative routes [PA Media]
“Road users travelling across the Pennines are advised to plan ahead and consider alternate routes,” National Highways said.
Meanwhile Network Rail has asked passengers travelling by train to check their journeys before setting off.
“After weeks of being stuck in a bit of a weather rut, with a blocking high pressure over Scandinavia, the weather is set to transition to a more changeable pattern,” BBC senior weather presenter Paul Mooney said.
“The upside of this change is that we should see some brighter weather, especially on Saturday.
“However, enjoy it while it lasts: we have more sleet and hill snow spreading from the west overnight Saturday into Sunday, leading us into a more unsettled spell for next week, a bit more like we would normally expect for February,” he added.
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