Snow storms from Siberia blasted Britain and Ireland on Thursday trapping hundreds of motorists on roads overnight in Scotland.
Schools and airports closed in the worst weather since 1991, according to Reuters, with up to 32 cm of snow and temperatures as low as minus 10.3 Celsius in some areas.
People were advised to stay indoors as weather services in both Britain and Ireland issued their most severe red warnings, stressing that travel is too dangerous.
“We have seen a lot of snow overnight, blizzards and drifting,” said Clare Nasir, a meteorologist at Britain’s weather services, known as the Met Office.
“Communities have been cut off and roads have been blocked.”
“At its height an estimated 1,000 vehicles were at a standstill, (with) tailbacks for 8 miles north and south bound,” Police Scotland said.
Hundreds of people were trapped in their cars overnight.
Britain’s two busiest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick, both warned that flights would be cancelled on Thursday.
