Published: December 27,2014
Several drivers were stranded
overnight in Britain as snow and ice sailed through parts of Europe on
Saturday. Thousands were left without power.
Switzerland and Southwestern Germany were covered with snow with higher parts of Germany’s Black Forest receiving more than 8 inches.
The cold weather stranded several British motorists, trapping some for hours and forcing others to abandon their vehicles. A bus traveling from Sheffield to London became stuck in the snow, and the vehicle’s passengers spent the night in a church.
(MORE: Winter Storm Frona Will Impact the West)
Parts of northern England saw 4.3 inches of snow. Western Power Distribution said 36,000 customers were without power, and another 69,000 had short interruptions to supplies. Staff worked through the night to reconnect customers, but thousands in the East Midlands region were still affected.
Liverpool's John Lennon Airport and Leeds Bradford International closed late Friday as workers cleared snow from the runways. The airports have reopened.
The snow was welcomed in the French Alps, which have seen hardly any since the start of the ski season. But with up to 2 feet predicted this weekend above 2,000 yards altitude, one of the busiest vacation weeks of the year looked more promising - if drivers could reach the mountains.
(MORE: Will You Ring in the New Year With Below-Average Temperatures?)
Traffic jams snarled many of France's major highways on Saturday, with more than three-quarters of the country under severe weather watch. Only 7,000 drivers of 36,000 expected were able to reach their destination in Savoie, one of the Alps regions, according to the Interior Ministry. Emergency shelters have been set up along the way for potentially thousands who are going to be forced to stay on the road overnight.
In the north, the port of Calais closed because of wind gusts.
Snow and ice led to a roughly 12.5 mile traffic jam on the A8 highway near Stuttgart in southern Germany.
Parts of Germany's south and west saw more than 4 inches of fresh snow, helping some ski areas which had been struggling.
MORE: U.K. Christmas Freeze
Switzerland and Southwestern Germany were covered with snow with higher parts of Germany’s Black Forest receiving more than 8 inches.
The cold weather stranded several British motorists, trapping some for hours and forcing others to abandon their vehicles. A bus traveling from Sheffield to London became stuck in the snow, and the vehicle’s passengers spent the night in a church.
(MORE: Winter Storm Frona Will Impact the West)
Parts of northern England saw 4.3 inches of snow. Western Power Distribution said 36,000 customers were without power, and another 69,000 had short interruptions to supplies. Staff worked through the night to reconnect customers, but thousands in the East Midlands region were still affected.
Liverpool's John Lennon Airport and Leeds Bradford International closed late Friday as workers cleared snow from the runways. The airports have reopened.
The snow was welcomed in the French Alps, which have seen hardly any since the start of the ski season. But with up to 2 feet predicted this weekend above 2,000 yards altitude, one of the busiest vacation weeks of the year looked more promising - if drivers could reach the mountains.
(MORE: Will You Ring in the New Year With Below-Average Temperatures?)
Traffic jams snarled many of France's major highways on Saturday, with more than three-quarters of the country under severe weather watch. Only 7,000 drivers of 36,000 expected were able to reach their destination in Savoie, one of the Alps regions, according to the Interior Ministry. Emergency shelters have been set up along the way for potentially thousands who are going to be forced to stay on the road overnight.
In the north, the port of Calais closed because of wind gusts.
Snow and ice led to a roughly 12.5 mile traffic jam on the A8 highway near Stuttgart in southern Germany.
Parts of Germany's south and west saw more than 4 inches of fresh snow, helping some ski areas which had been struggling.
MORE: U.K. Christmas Freeze
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