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Manchester Airport has closed both of its runways due to heavy snow and large parts of the UK have been warned to expect severe weather over the weekend.
Passengers were told the runway was temporarily closed and to contact their airlines for the latest information.
The airport said eight outbound flights have been canceled so far, while 13 planes were diverted due to landing at the airport, including three inbound ones.
A spokesman said: “Health and safety will always be our top priority and operations will resume as soon as possible.”
The Met Office said temperatures as low as -10C (14F) were forecast in isolated areas on Saturday and Sunday, which could disrupt travel, particularly into Monday morning.
He also said some rural communities could be cut off and power cuts and mobile phone coverage are likely to be affected.
Snow is forecast for Scotland and the south-east of England, with a yellow warning in place for much of Scotland until Sunday afternoon.
On Saturday, the Met Office extended snow warnings for Northern Ireland, Wales and south-west England to include snow until Sunday afternoon.
On Sunday, most of London and parts of south-east England are under a snow and ice warning from 9am until 9am on Monday, with a 30% chance of up to 5cm of snow.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has sent out a level-three cold weather alert covering England until next Friday, extending it from Monday.
The Met Office’s chief meteorologist, Steve Willington, said: “The next few days are going to be cold with daytime temperatures only a few degrees above freezing in many places, and overnight temperatures will drop to -10C or lower in isolated places.
“Although below average, these temperatures are not that unusual for this time of year.”
He said there was a risk of fog in some places on Sunday and Monday morning, particularly in southern England.
“There is also a small risk of a band of sleet or snow in the far south-east on Sunday. If this happens it could potentially cause some disruption, especially for rush hour on Mondays.
The UKHSA is advising people to look out for friends and family who are vulnerable to the cold and to ensure they have access to warm food and drink, adding that people should maintain an indoor temperature of at least 18C (64F).
UKHSA’s Public Health Medicine Adviser Dr. Agostinho Sosa said: “Cold weather can have serious health consequences, and elderly people and those with heart or lung conditions may be particularly at risk.
“If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you should heat your home to a temperature that is comfortable for you.
“Try to heat rooms you use most often, such as the living room or bedroom, to at least 18C if you can. Keep your bedroom windows closed at night. Wearing several layers of clothing will keep you warmer than one thick layer.
Darren Clarke, National Highways’ severe weather resilience manager, said gritters would be out to keep motorways and major A-roads open.
“National Highways is committed to treating every road that needs to be treated – whenever it is needed,” he said.
The RAC motoring body said it had been “extraordinarily busy” in recent days, receiving a quarter more breakdown reports than usual for this time of year.
According to the Warm Welcome campaign, more than 3,200 Warm Banks, run by local authorities and charities to provide warmth to those who cannot heat their homes, are open across the UK.
It said many of them were three to half full and offered a variety of services, from hot drinks to a place to work.
Save the Children UK said 194 of the 355 councils in England and Wales were directly involved with or supporting local groups to open warm spaces this winter.
Becca Lyon, head of child poverty at the charity, said: “Families should not be in a position where they are agonizing over whether to turn on the heating in sub-zero temperatures.
“Parents have told us they will risk going into debt to keep their children warm.”
Richard Wenham, vice-chair of the Local Government Association’s resource board, said: “Warming hubs and other similar schemes are among the many actions councils are taking to support people in greatest need this winter, but these must be emergency plans. not There is no standard and sustainable solution to bridging the gap between income and current living costs.”
People on the lowest incomes in hundreds of affected postcode areas in England and Wales are to receive a £25 cold weather payment.
Government payments have been launched for eligible households in areas where the average temperature is forecast to be 0C or below for seven consecutive days.
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