Weather alert for ice and flood warnings in place across East Midlands
Efforts to clear roads and paths continue as freezing conditions persist
Snowfall from Storm Goretti has had a huge impact on the East Midlands, leaving some homes without power and causing plenty of travel disruption.
There's been everything from cancelled trains and delayed flights to school closures and blocked roads in the region today.
The latest update from the Met Office is that a yellow weather warning for Ice is in place covering the whole of the Midlands and some wider areas of the country. It means that partially thawed snow refreezing, accompanied by freezing fog and a few wintry showers, will bring the risk of ice overnight into Saturday.
The advice is to keep yourself and your family safe by planning to leave the house at least five minutes earlier than normal, try and use pavements along main roads as they should be less slippery, check road conditions and bus timetables before heading out and be prepared for the weather warning to change.
Meanwhile people in some areas of the East Midlands are being urged to take action as flooding is expected to take place.
Currently Ruskington and Swaton Village are under the heightened risk with dozens of other areas in the region under an alert. It's likely to change quickly as the snow melts across the region.
To help with the conditions, councils across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Leicestershire are working to clear roads, paths, and fallen debris while advising caution in freezing conditions.
Nottingham travel and services update
Nottingham City Council reported that most roads are now clear following overnight snow, with public transport running with minimal impact. Passengers are advised to check directly with operators for real-time updates before travelling.
"Our gritter drivers worked through the night targeting priority routes, and they remain focused on ensuring major roads are passable," Nottingham City Council said.
Roads prioritised for clearance include:
- Mapperley – Woodborough Road
- Bestwood / Top Valley – Muirfield and Bewcastle
- Bilborough – Stockfield Road
- St Ann’s – Brewsters Road
City Centre and Neighbourhood Operational Teams are also gritting key pedestrian areas, including shopping precincts and school paths.
An ice warning has been issued for Nottingham early tomorrow morning as temperatures are expected to dip to -3.9 degrees.
Nottingham City Council advised caution: "If you're likely to be out early in the morning tomorrow, remember grit can't stop ice from forming when it’s very cold and it’s only 'activated' once vehicles have driven over it, so take it slow and easy and only travel if you have to."
The Council also encouraged using local grit bins, with their locations available online, and taking extra care on icy pavements.
Derbyshire gritting schedule
Derbyshire County Council’s gritting teams continue intensive operations to keep routes passable.
"Our gritting teams worked through the night keeping the main roads open, and this morning have been concentrating on the primary routes," Derbyshire County Council said.
"From 1pm they will then move to grit the secondary routes, from 4pm do another round on the primary routes. And then 4am tomorrow morning will do the primary routes again."
The council is working closely with farmers and contractors to clear snow-covered rural areas.
There's also been many roads closed across Derbyshire because of the weather. Work to reopen some have been taking place though several still remain closed.
Leicestershire tackles snowfall and fallen trees
Leicestershire County Council has been dealing with significant snow coverage in the north west of the county, alongside clearing fallen trees.
"Our gritting teams have been hard at work around the clock," Leicestershire County Council said. This included attending eight instances of fallen trees and working with farmers during snow clearance efforts.
The Council has reminded the public to plan ahead and remain vigilant during the challenging weather.
East Midlands Airport affected
East Midlands Airport temporarily closed its runway earlier today due to heavy snow but has since reopened with flights now operating.
"Following a temporary runway closure this morning due to heavy snow, our runway is now back open and flights have resumed," the airport stated.
The airport recommended checking directly with airlines for accurate flight information and advised extra care when travelling to the terminal.
Yellow weather warnings for snow, ice, and wind remain active in the Midlands, and residents are being urged to stay updated, plan journeys carefully, and prioritise safety.