BBC News Channel

Homelessness charities have been helping ensure those on the streets have food and warm clothing in these freezing conditions.

One man, who has been sleeping rough in Bristol, told the BBC News Channel: "It's absolutely terrible.

"I couldn't even sleep last night I was that cold in my sleeping bag.

"I had to sleep in all these clothes as well, pair of gloves on hat on scarf on as well. But that's how it is - it's a case of having to."

Travellers with flights booked this morning are advised to check with their airline carriers for updates.

A spokesman for Bristol Airport said: "Customers are advised to allow extra time when travelling to the airport and to keep up-to-date with local weather and travel updates."

Check out how much snow has fallen in places across the south of England and south Wales this morning.

• Dunkeswell, Devon - 14cm
• Brize Norton, Oxfordshire - 12cm
• Sennybridge, Brecknockshire - 8cm
• High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire - 9cm
• Liscombe, Somerset - 5cm
• Heathrow, Greater London - 3cm

Two students describe how they had to abandon their car on the A30 in Cornwall and walk for more than an hour back to college.

• Great Western Railway services could be disrupted until 13:00 GMT
• Transport for Wales, external expects some routes to be affected until 14:00. Some services on the Heart of Wales line have been changed and the snow could cause short notice delays
• Southeastern Trains has introduced a winter weather timetable, external for Friday morning
• South Western Railway has warned of cancellations as tracks are cleared first thing
• ScotRail says, external trains are not stopping at Bellgrove station in Glasgow after icicles formed and threatened overhead wires

Dozens of British Airways flights have been cancelled so far at Heathrow this morning - including flights to Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, France, Iceland and New York.

Some domestic flights to destinations including Newcastle, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Leeds/Bradford have also been cancelled.

On other airlines, an Air Canada flight to Toronto has been cancelled.

Staff at Heathrow have been telling travellers on Twitter that their operation today will be "very much dependant on the weather".

"We'll only cancel a flight if we really have to as we realise the inconvenience this can cause our passengers," they added.

What to wear

Layers, layers and more layers.

Multiple layers of clothing are better than one thick garment because the layers trap air and warm you up.

A lot of your body heat can escape from your head - so always wear a hat.

Image source, Getty Images

Help! My car is stuck in the snow

The AA advises motorists to carry a "winter survival kit" containing items such as an ice scraper, de-icer and a blanket.

Next, dig away the snow and ice on and around the vehicle and under the tyres.

You must be able to see out of every glass panel in your vehicle before you are safe to drive, external, according to the Highway Code.

Straighten the wheels and drive off slowly in a low gear, if you can.

Image source, Gett

For more advice on what to eat and drink, or how to cope if you're stuck indoors with a power cut, read our helpful guide.

Olympic Gold skeleton medallist Amy Williams told Radio 5 Live that she can’t wait to go sledding.

She woke up with 4-5 inches of snow outside and is very excited to get out there.

Williams, who is four and half months pregnant, told listeners her top tips for sledding safely today.

“Our top tip is to know the field you are going to be in,” she said.

Being able to stop is a “major point” too and it’s important to avoid your feet catching a rock or log.

“You’ve got to have your wits about you," she added.

Image source, Getty Images

If your journey to work is disrupted, make sure you are aware of your rights if you want to take the day off.

Most employers understand that it's just not possible for everyone to get to work, one employment law specialist told BBC Radio 5 Live this morning.

But in most cases you are not automatically entitled to pay if you are unable to get to work because of travel disruption or bad weather.

Read about your rights here.

Social media is likely to become clogged up with snow photos and videos as the day goes on, like this one from Alain in Milton Keynes:

So, for those of you who get a day off school, college or work and might want tips on how to make your Instagram snaps stand out from the crowd, here's an essential guide on how to prepare for the weather.

BBC Wales journalist Jordan Davies says snow seems like it has built steadily overnight in south Wales - one of the worst hit areas - with some people waking up to about 5cm of snow.

Isolated communities have been warned they could be cut off and commuters have been told to check routes before they travel anywhere.

Headteachers have been out inspecting their schools this morning, and around 180 have been closed.

The guidelines from the education departments in England and Wales are clear. They stress schools can close only in truly exceptional circumstances, when there is no other option.

This is because schools have to be open a set number of days a year.

Image source, Getty Images

So who decides?

Head teachers must make the decision, as they know their school and the surrounding area.

They should use common sense in assessing the risks and aim to keep the school open whenever it is safe to do so, the Department for Education guidelines say.

In exceptional circumstances, a local authority can order a blanket closure of all community and voluntary-controlled schools, but this would not cover foundation or voluntary-aided schools or academies, which are more autonomous.

The decision is based on child welfare - this includes a number of considerations but focuses on whether:

• children can get to and from school safely
• the site is safe
• there are enough staff to supervise youngsters

There are around 178 schools closed today in Wales because of the snow and weather conditions.

The areas most affected are the South Wales valleys.

• Dozens of flights have been cancelled at Heathrow Airport
• Bournemouth Airport has closed its airport “until further notice” as workers clear snow from the airfield
• Bristol Airport has suspended all flights until 08:00 GMT
• There are delays and some cancellations at Cardiff Airport and customers are advised to check the website
• Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City and Manchester airports said they are operating as normal on Friday

Image source, Jamaica Inn

More than 100 people have taken refuge at a pub in Cornwall after heavy snow left dozens of motorists stranded.

Staff at the Jamaica Inn - famed for its connections to author Daphne Du Maurier - made temporary beds in the restaurant when rooms were filled.

Paula Martyn was on her way to a business meeting when her car became stuck on the A30, nearby.

Speaking at 1.24am, after getting stuck at 4pm, she said: "We haven't seen any gritters we haven't seen any snow ploughs the traffic was blocking all of the lanes there were abandoned cars people were leaving their cars."

Emergency services said they made "intensive" efforts to get to those stranded but were hampered by the conditions.

Read more here.

Snow and ice around the UK can create dangerous driving conditions.

Do you know what to do if your car skids on ice?

Here's a video guide with three easy tips for tackling slippy roads.

Welcome to BBC News' live coverage, as snow sweeps across the UK.

Commuters have been advised to check their routes before travelling after heavy snow fell overnight, and with more snow and ice expected to affect roads and railways on Friday.