Summary

Live Reporting

Written by Andy Giddings, edited by Allen Cook

  1. End of our live coverage of snow disruption in the West Midlands

    Andy Giddings
    BBC News

    We are bringing our live coverage of disruption from the snow in the West Midlands to a close now.

    No further snow is forecast, although it is likely to drop below freezing again overnight and it is going to stay cold all week, so wrap up warm.

  2. Dozens of school closures on a snowy West Midlands day

    Most of us woke up to snow this morning and thankfully its not been causing too much disruption, although a number of schools took the decision to close.

    Here's a round up of what happened on Tuesday:

    • More than 50 schools around the West Midlands closed due to the weather with the majority in Worcestershire and Shropshire
    • Most major roads are clear but there have been rail cancellations caused by fallen trees and signalling faults
    • Council gritting lorries have been out treating main roads

  3. Snowy images of the Staffordshire Moorlands

    One part of the West Midlands which is usually most likely to see snow if wintry weather comes to the region is the Staffordshire Moorlands, given it is, in part, on the edge of the Peak District.

    Tuesday was no exception as homes in Leek were dusted with snow and there were drifts of the white stuff in Butterton and Ipstones:

    A drone view shows snow covering the roof tops of terrace housing in Leek, StafordshireReuters
    A snow covered part of Butterton in Staffordshire showing trees emerging from a drift of snow which covers a road leading to a houseBBC Weather Watchers/Myohmy
    A stone wall in Ipstones covered in stone with a fence of barbed wire behind it which is in front of a snow-covered field leading to some trees in the distanceBBC Weather Watchers/AppyIppy

  4. Store looking to serve snow-bound community

    Matt Hutchinson
    Reporter, BBC Hereford and Worcester

    The owner of a village store said he was all prepared for a day or two of snow and wanted to stay open to serve his local community.

    Mike Baldwin said he expected to see a number of familiar faces through the day with people preferring not to travel into Worcester today.

    Mr Baldwin, who trades at Hallow in Worcestershire, said he had had a rough year, with roadworks affecting his trade.

    But he said: "It's all about being there for what they want, when they want it."

    A man with white hair and beard in a brown fleece lined jacket, standing in front of a shop

  5. In pictures: Aerial views of Upton-upon-Severn

    These first two aerial views show Upton-upon-Severn in Worcestershire on Tuesday morning with the snow falling - while slightly further north, the last photo shows Malvern.

    Snow falling in Upton-upon-Severn in Worcestershire. The river can be seen in the foreground with snow-covered buildings stretching away to the eyePA Media
    Snow-covered boats seen from above on the water in Upton. A snow-covered jetty can be seen running between the boats.PA Media
    Trees in a snowy landscape with footprints from walkers going around them. Snow covers the grass with some green patches showing through

  6. Your photos: Animals out in the snow

    We've been seeing lots of great photos of animals out in the snow this morning.

    This dog appears to be enjoying himself in Sutton Coldfield and below we have some pictures from the Montgomery Canal in Shropshire.

    A brown dog standing in the snow
    Three ducks swimming in water, with snow falling around them
    Sheep standing in a snowy field on the other side of a fence

  7. Family from Canaries takes day off to enjoy snow

    Matt Hutchinson
    Reporter, BBC Hereford and Worcester

    Jules and her family moved from Spain's Canary Islands to Hallow in Worcestershire last year so this is their first taste of British snow.

    They have been building snowmen and her son Lennox said, when he woke up and looked out the window, "I kept on thinking about building a snowman and having fun".

    He has plans to build 10 today with his sister Ella, who said she had been wishing for snow for her birthday in 12 days - so her wish has come true early.

    A family of four wearing coats in the snow, with a snowman on either side of them and the dad is holding a large snowball in his hand and looking at his wife

    Jules said she had some experience of snow because she is from Hamburg originally and used to ski into school in the winter.

    But after living in the Canaries for 20 years, it was an experience not to be missed.

    "We had plans today but we skipped it all just to enjoy this - these moments will never come back," she said.

  8. In pictures: Winter wonderland in park

    The BBC's John Bray took to the streets of Leamington Spa in Warwickshire this morning and took these photos of a winter wonderland-type scene in Jephson Gardens.

    A brick structure among snowy bushes and trees. The structure has pillars around the side and is circular in nature
    Benches at the side of a park with snow dusting the ground as a person walks away from the camera along a path next to trees
    A green, yellow tree standing among others in a park with snow on the ground

  9. Hereford FC to carry out pitch inspection

    There's going to be a pitch inspection at Edgar Street this morning because Hereford FC's stadium is covered in snow.

    They are due to host Scarborough on Tuesday evening.

    The club said it would give plenty of warning to fans setting off from the frozen east coast of Yorkshire,if the match has to be called off.

    UPDATE: Just before 13:00 GMT, the club said the game was cancelled "due to the weather conditions".

    A white sign on a red brick wall reading Edgar Street in black letteringGetty Images

  10. School closures latest

    The number of school closures around the region has now passed 50.

    In most cases the problem is reported as being snow on roads and pavements making travel difficult or dangerous.

    Shropshire has the highest number of school closures, with 22, followed by Worcestershire with 20 (including Hallow Primary School, pictured below) and Staffordshire with nine.

    There are also three closures in Herefordshire, two in Warwickshire and two in the Telford and Wrekin area.

    A school covered in snow with a blue sign in the foreground reading Hallow CE Primary School

  11. Snow over frozen Snailbeach

    Some parts of the region have clearly seen more snow than others this morning and Snailbeach, on the edge of the Stiperstones in Shropshire, has done better than most.

    The forecast there is for the temperature to remain just over freezing although the snow is likely to turn to sleet later, our BBC Weather colleagues say.

    A snow-covered field, with trees on either side
    A snow-covered garden with a bench and trees

  12. Gritters continue to treat roads in Worcestershire

    Gritting lorries, fitted with snow ploughs, have been out since 04:00 GMT on Tuesday in Worcestershire, treating the main roads.

    Ben Sparrow, from the county council's highways team, said they were "clearing the roads as best they can" and the routes should improve because the snow was expected to turn to sleet this afternoon.

    He added the snow "shouldn't be too disruptive" and suggested if people want to pop down to the shops, they should.

    A gritting lorry on a snow-covered road with a yellow snow plough at the frontWorcestershire County Council

    Mr Sparrow also warned that, with temperatures expected to drop below freezing tonight, there could be icy conditions on the roads on Wednesday morning.

    He said the gritting lorries would go out again this afternoon but advised people to drive carefully.

  13. Here are some tips for driving in snow and ice

    First, clear your windscreen, windows, roof and lights of any snow - but don't use boiling water, this can crack the glass.

    If you drive a manual car, pull away gently in second and stay in a higher gear for better control. Most automatics have a "snow" or "winter" gearbox mode.

    Careful driving is all about looking ahead. Brake, steer and accelerate smoothly, but don't drive too slowly or you might lose momentum when you need it.

    And remember, stopping distances are up to 10 times greater in snow and ice, so give yourself plenty of time to react.

    A graphic showing the different stopping times for cars at 30mph and 50mph in snow and ice. In normal conditions at 50mph, a car can stop in 53m but it's 395m in snow and ice. At 30mph, the difference is 23m to 149m

  14. In photos: Aerial views of park and homes in town

    An aerial view of Warwick to show you just how widespread the snowfall has been across the town:

    An aerial shots of dozens of houses in Warwick covered in snow stretching off to the distancePA Media
    People walk through a snow-covered Priory Park after overnight snowfall in WarwickPA Media
    Snow covers rooftops in a town with homes across a wide area coveredPA Media

  15. Your photos: Snow in Staffordshire

    BBC Weather Watchers

    Here are some more of your photos, this time from Staffordshire which has once again had more than its fair share of the snow:

    A snowy road in the dark with some car tracks in the snowBBC Weather Watchers/LC
    Snow in a garden and on a street behind itBBC Weather Watchers/BobbyB

  16. Some rail services disrupted

    There has been some disruption to rail services around the region this morning, although it is not clear if it was caused by the cold weather.

    A fallen tree has closed the line at Ruabon in Wales, affecting trains between Wrexham and Shrewsbury and another has fallen on the line at Longton in Staffordshire, blocking trains into Crewe.

    A signalling fault is also leading to trains being cancelled between Worcester and Hereford.

    A train on tracks covered in snow

  17. In photos: Horses at the gallop in the snow

    It might be snowy but these horses were out getting exercise on Tuesday morning.

    They were snapped at Sam Drinkwater's Granary Stables in Strensham, Worcestershire.

    Two horses gallop with riders along a muddy path dusted with snow with heavier snow on either side. A fence is on either side of the path. The riders wear blue fleeces and helmetsPA Media
    Three horses move along a snowy landscape. Behind them are snow covered treesPA Media
    The backs of three horses as they move along a muddy path with a fence either side. Snow covers the ground either side of the pathPA Media

  18. School closures latest: A recap on a snowy morning

    Most of the region woke up to snow this morning and while it's not been causing major problems, it caused a some disruption.

    Here's a recap of where we stand:

    • Local authorities are reporting 50 school closures around the West Midlands with Shropshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire the worst affected.
    • Rail travel around the West Midlands has been unaffected but people travelling north are advised to check services are running.
    • No major problems have been reported on the roads but drivers are being advised to go carefully in the freezing conditions.
    • More cold weather is forecast for the rest of the week but the Met Office has not issued any further snow warnings for the West Midlands.

  19. In photos: Dog walking in snowy Warwick

    These photos show just how snowy it has been this morning in Warwick, with people still out walking their dogs in the wintry weather:

    A person walks a dog on a snowy street while a car drives past with snow on its bonnet. Around them, snow dusts on houses and pavementsPA Media
    A person walks with an umbrella along a snowy street in Warwick. Alongside, cars are covered in snowPA Media
    A person walks a golden-coloured dog through snow in WarwickPA Media

  20. Bus company running reduced service

    Because of the snow, the Minsterley Motors bus company in Shropshire has announced its 435 service will not stop at Little Stretton or All Stretton today.

    It said Church Stretton will be served as usual though.