Khaberni - A severe cold wave, considered one of the coldest of the current winter, disrupted travel on Monday in the UK, France, and the Netherlands, with road closures, flight cancellations, and train cancellations, including the Eurostar train.
According to (Agence France-Presse), Eurostar, which connects the UK with mainland Europe, asked travelers between London and the Netherlands to postpone their trips, as train operations past Brussels were not feasible due to the poor weather conditions. Also, 6 trains between St Pancras International in London and Gare du Nord in Paris were canceled, with most other trains delayed.
The Dutch Railways (NS) reported significant disruptions to their services on Monday, especially in the Amsterdam area, with reduced train services in some parts of the country on Tuesday.
The UK Met Office issued new warnings for Monday and Tuesday for snowfall and ice formation in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and parts of northern England.
Authorities announced the closure of 212 schools in Northern Ireland, in addition to dozens of schools in Scotland, Wales, and northern England.
Flights were canceled at several airports including Liverpool in northwest England, Aberdeen and Inverness in northeast Scotland, and Belfast in Northern Ireland.
At Paris' main Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, heavy snowfall forced airlines to reduce their flights by 15 percent.
French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot stated in a press conference that about 250 snow plows were on standby at the airports, anticipating "cancellations and delays".
Snow and ice disrupted the bus network in Paris on Monday afternoon, and roads were heavily affected, particularly in the northwestern Norman region and the French capital, with severe traffic congestion during rush hour.
The French Meteorological Authority, "Météo France," issued an orange alert this evening concerning snow and ice across most parts of northwest France, including Paris, which is the second highest level of warnings.
At Amsterdam's main Schiphol International Airport, about 700 flights were canceled, more than half of the flights scheduled to take off or land on Monday.
The airport authorities expect a decrease in air traffic with more flights being canceled in the coming days due to adverse weather conditions.
