More than 100 HGVs were stranded overnight on a stretch of the M62 motorway after Storm Arwen brought gale-force winds, snow and treacherous conditions to Greater Manchester.
Electricity North West also confirmed today the weather resulted in power outages to almost 70,000 properties across the region.
Trees toppled in the gale-force winds, which reports suggested reached 60 mph in the region, blocked roads and damaged overhead power cables.
Engineers were racing to carry out urgent repairs this morning.
Residents in parts of Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside were waking up to snow today – as a Met Office weather warning remained in place.
The M62 remained closed near Milnrow in Rochdale – between junctions 21 and 22 today – after police said more than 120 lorries got stuck in heavy snow at around 2.30am.
The situation on the motorway mirrors scenes when the ‘Beast from the East’ Arctic blast hit in 2018, which led to rescue missions to reach HGV drivers stuck inside the cabs of their stranded lorries.
Snow ploughs and gritters were being deployed to clear the road this morning.
The M62 in Cheshire, between junctions seven and eight, also remained closed after a lorry jack-knifed.
Other exposed roads were affected with the Woodhead Pass closed to high-sided vehicles.
Police also urged motorists to avoid the Snake Pass.
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The Met Office reported wind speeds reached 98 mph in Northumberland overnight, saying winds were still gusting at around 70mph with sleet and snow around Greater Manchester.
A Met Office ‘yellow’ warning for snow and high winds remained in force for Greater Manchester today. It’s due to expire at 6pm tonight.
Train operator Northern said lines were blocked across Greater Manchester on Saturday – reporting ‘severe weather’.
(Image: PA)
Services running through Wigan Wallgate were being cancelled on Saturday morning, with the line between Hazel Grove in Stockport and Buxton also blocked.
Northern said services running to and from those stations would be cancelled or terminated at and started back from Hazel Grove and Wigan.
On the roads, the A640 Huddersfield Road remained closed in both directions, from Bethany Lane, Rochdale, to A672 Ripponden Road at Denshaw Crossroads, Oldham, due to snow.
The M62 eastbound entry slip road was closed due to snow at junction three for the A627(M) in Rochdale.
The A58 Halifax Road was blocked in both directions due to snow from B6225 Canal Street in Littleborough to the B6113 Elland Road in Ripponden.
A fallen tree also blocked the A34 Kingsway near Mauldeth Road in Manchester.
Many Pennine and Peak District routes were said to be ‘impassible’.
Police have urged motorists to avoid all ‘non-essential journeys’ north of Derbyshire, with roads closed due to ‘treacherous conditions’.
Lancashire Fire Service reported attending a number of incidents overnight, including damaged buildings and fallen trees.
Nationally, people were still being advised today to only travel if absolutely necessary, and the Met Office described gusts overnight as “damaging” and having affected “a wide swathe of the United Kingdom”.
In Northern Ireland, a man was killed when his car was struck by a falling tree in County Antrim on Friday.
Inverbervie on the north-east coast of Scotland saw gusts of 78mph, while Aberporth in Wales saw speeds of 77mph.
Roads were closed by fallen debris in the worst-hit parts of Scotland, while LNER train services north of Newcastle were also ground to a halt, with high winds, heavy rain and snowfall arriving from Friday afternoon.
The Met Office warned the north-east of England, north-west of England, Yorkshire, the West Midlands and the East Midlands will experience cold weather until Monday.
Amber weather warnings remain in place until around 9am on Saturday for the north-east coasts of England and Scotland, and the south-west coasts of England and Wales, while the yellow warning covers most of the UK until 6pm.
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