UK's dizzying yo-yo of spring weather is forecast to calm down for Easter after one of the warmest of March months on record
The UK's dizzying yo-yo of spring weather is forecast to calm down for Easter after one of the warmest March months on record was followed by a cold snap that plunged roads and power supplies into chaos in Scotland and northern England.
Engineers have reconnected the last of 120,000 homes where power lines were brought down by falling trees, gale-force winds or the sheer weight of snow arising from the brief but powerful Arctic front that charged south before veering off towards the warmer, wet graveyard of the Atlantic.
The blizzards got as far south as Derby although their outriding effect on temperatures stretched much further south. Even London and the south-east coastal counties will continue to feel the effects on Thursday with temperatures approaching half those on Monday.
But the continuing drought, which led to hosepipe bans in seven water company areas, was due no early relief from rain.
The speed of the snow led to the closure of roads, including the M62 trans-Pennine motorway where the eastbound carriageway was closed after traffic slithered around on the steep ascent and descent between Rochdale and Huddersfield.
The string of A-roads out of action until late morning or early afternoon on Wednesdayincluded Snake Pass between Sheffield and Manchester and the A66 which links north-east England and Cumbria.
The first minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones, praised the work of emergency services who rescued seven Polish crew from the cargo ship Carrier, which ran aground in force-nine gales and a five-metre swell at Raynes jetty in Llanddulas, on Tuesday night.
Two lifeboats joined a Royal Navy helicopter from Prestwick in Scotland, which was replaced by an RAF helicopter from Leconfield in Yorkshire halfway through the rescue because of a faulty winch.
Lieutenant Angela Lewis, of HMS Gannet, said: "Conditions were extremely challenging. Sea spray was being whipped up to a height of about 60ft in places so it was quite nerve-racking."
Jones said: "I would like to send my deepest appreciation and thanks to all those who took part in last night's operation. The weather and sea conditions they faced were atrocious. Our focus now will be to offer any assistance necessary to salvage the ship and to ensure every effort is made to lessen potential environmental impact."
The Carrier has been holed in three places and some oil has leaked from the onboard store of 40,000 litres of gas oil. Salvage experts from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency's pollution division were working on ways of transferring the rest of the fuel ashore.
Emergency teams also helped farmers with heating for newborn lambs, and with generators for milking parlours, on the North York moors, where drifts of up to two metres matched those that shut the A68 to Scotland north of Tow Law, marooning a score of cars and trucks.
The blitz spirit was there for a snowbound group of 40 residents and tourists at the Tan Hill Inn, England's highest pub at 1,732ft on the county Durham border with North Yorkshire. Log fires, food and 15 minute snow-clearing shifts were organised to keep everyone warm.
The government and emergency services appealed for neighbourliness at the height of the problems on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, as delays occurred in power line repairs.
Chief superintendent Andy Reddick, of Durham police, said: "Every effort is being made to restore electricity but efforts are being hampered by the weather. In the meantime, I would urge everyone in the affected areas to be good neighbours. If you have an elderly or vulnerable person living near you, please check that they are OK and help them wrap up warm."
All stranded people, including a couple given emergency lodging overnight at Barnard Castle, county Durham, were safely sent on their way byWednesday evening, and there were modest celebrations at CairnGorm mountain and the Lecht winter-sporting centres, which finally got enough snow to resume skiing and snow-boarding. Along with Scotland's other pistes at Nevis, Glencoe and Glenshee, they had given up the season at the end of February, and a "summer programme" of walks had been due to start Easter Sunday.
Colin Kirkwood at CairnGorm said: "This is a welcome boost and we are glad to have offered some skiing in April, but it won't save the snow sports season."
Two years ago the mountain's ski slopes were open until early June and skiers enjoyed Scotland's longest season for 14 years. This year has seen only 44,783 skiers, compared with 121,420 in 2010-11, and the other three centres do not expect to reopen lifts and slopes now.
The Meteorological Office forecast for the Easter weekend suggests a largely dry and bright Saturday across the country, and scattered showers on Sunday.
Monday is expected to herald an unsettled period with regular switches from mild, sunny weather to rain, thunder, hail and snow on Scotland's upland areas.
• This article was amended on 5 April 2012. The original quoted Lieutenant Angela Lewis as saying " . . . it was quite nerve-wracking." This has been corrected.