England's cricketers can expect to enjoy temperatures of up to 26C (79F) in their second test with the West Indies in Antigua later today.

Meanwhile, back at Lord's, the home of cricket was looking rather different this morning.

Image source, Reuters

BBC Radio 5 Live meteorologist Simon King gave listeners advice on what to do if an amber warning, the second highest alert, is issued.

"An amber warning is quite serious," he said.

Our weather presenter said that he would be planning ahead and probably cancel his plans as there would be transport disruptions.

Amber warnings are more localised and focused than yellow warnings, raising the probability of disruptions.

He added that more people seem to be taking note of warnings issued by the Met Office, resulting in less travel chaos.

The BBC's Tristan Pascoe has had an unexpected encounter on the roads in the New Forest in Hampshire - a pair of donkeys!

He said the roads in the area, near Fritham, were "passable with care", although it looks like the donkeys didn't have a care in the world...

It can all get a little stressful when snow starts. But here's some science and psychology to explain why we should relax instead.

Nearly 500 children in the Highlands are waking up to the news that they won't have to go to school today.

Schools in the area on Friday are closed for a third day including two secondaries, 10 primaries and five nurseries.

Visit the Highland Council, external for a list.

Elsewhere in Scotland, most schools are open.

Read more about the situation in Scotland.

Pet owners have been sharing photos of their dogs and cats having fun in the snow.

Although not all of the animals seem to be happy about going out in the cold.

Mark Wardle, the principal at Callywith College in Bodmin, told BBC Radio 5 Live he is hoping the students who spent the night will be able to go home as soon as it stops snowing.

According to Wardle, the school was unprepared for the impromptu sleepover but said Asda donated pillows and blankets allowing the students to make themselves cosy.

The biggest difficulty was getting the students to sleep last night, he added.

Efforts to rescue any stranded motorists, clear and prepare roads are continuing across Devon, Cornwall and Dorset this morning.

People have been advised to avoid getting behind the wheel in areas affected by heavy snow unless absolutely essential.

Thames Valley Police describe the roads in their region as "extremely treacherous".

In Hertfordshire, gritters have been busy spreading some 900 tonnes of salt on roads to help improve driving conditions today.

The "grit" they've been laying is actually rock salt.

Salt lowers the freezing point of water, so it stops ice forming and causes existing ice or snow to melt.

In the freezing temperatures, the charity StreetLink is again urging, external the public in England and Wales to alert them if they see someone who is homeless.

The location of the homeless person can be reported so they can be connected with local homelessness services.

Visit StreetLink here., external

One in four schools are closed in Wales this morning, the BBC understands.

So far, 423 of 1,617 schools are closed, mainly in the South Wales valleys.

Hundreds of schools across the regions affected by the Met Office's amber weather warning - which covers Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Hampshire - are closed.

In Buckinghamshire, 308 education centres are currently closed.

Not all local authorities report school closures. Parents are advised to check social media or contact schools directly if they are in doubt.

Details about school closures can be found here:

• Oxfordshire, external
• Buckinghamshire, external
• Hampshire, external
• West Berkshire, external
• Bracknell Forest, external
• Windsor and Maidenhead, external
• Reading, external

Image source, PA

Some advice for boosting your immune system in freezing conditions:

• eat well
• sleep properly
• exercise

The NHS recommends , externaleating plenty of fruit and veg, as well as a hearty breakfast, to set you up for the day.

Milk and dairy products such as cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais are also great sources , externalof protein, vitamins and calcium.

Sadly, rounding off your lunch of crisps and chocolate with a fizzy vitamin C tablet just isn't enough.

For more answers to frequently asked questions (including "what actually is snow?"), see here.

Transport Scotland's gritters are out in force again.

Last year they became a bit of a sensation because of their creative names (with Gritty Gritty Bang Bang and Sir Andy Flurry among the favourites).

You can track them here, external.

Image source, Traffic Scotland/Transport Scotland

We mentioned earlier the dozens of people who were forced to seek refuge at the Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall after their cars got stuck in heavy snow on the A30.

Well here is a photo of the pub's beer garden.

Image source, PA

Efforts to rescue motorists and clear roads continue, but many people are still stranded.

Hundreds of students at Callywith College in Bodmin, Cornwall, were forced to spend the night in the sports hall after treacherous conditions blocked roads and bus services.

Student Chris, who was one of those to spend the night there, said "it obviously got quite bad, quite quick".

"We slid into someone on the way back and deemed it too dangerous to travel back so we called it a night," he said.

Staff were hoping to resume bus services at around 7am.

Chris added: "We're all good friends so it's not too bad."

People are waking up and sharing pictures of their views as they draw back the curtains this morning - possibly before making a decision about whether to actually leave their homes...

Great Western Railway says there are minor delays and alterations to services running from South Wales.

The rail operator saw some cancellations in the Thames Valley area this morning.

But services are now running at a near normal level, a spokesman said. Passengers should still check before they travel.

Image source, Met Police

A baby girl was found abandoned in freezing conditions last night.

The newborn was discovered around 22:15 GMT in East Ham, east London, and taken to hospital. The Metropolitan Police said her condition was stable.

A Met Police spokesman said detectives were growing "increasingly concerned" for the mother, who may be "in need of urgent medical attention".

Read the full story here.