Heavy snow and freezing rain brought widespread disruption across Europe on Sunday, particularly in Britain and Germany, with several major airports forced to suspend flights.
With the weather set to stay inclement on Sunday in the United Kingdom, there are concerns that many rural communities, particularly in the north of England, could be cut off, with up to 40cm (15 inches) of snow on the ground above 300 metres (985 feet).
The National Grid, which oversees the country’s electricity network, said it had been working to restore power. Outages were reported in the English cities of Birmingham and Bristol and in Cardiff, Wales.
Many sporting events have been postponed, though the heavyweight Premier League fixture between rivals Liverpool and Manchester United is on, following an inspection at Liverpool’s Anfield stadium and of local conditions.
Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport and Manchester Airport had to close runways overnight, but returned back to normal on Sunday. Leeds Bradford Airport took longer to get flights back in the air.
The road network was heavily impacted too on what would have been a very busy day with many families returning home from the Christmas and New Year’s break, and students heading back to universities.