Vicky Breakwell
BBC Hereford and Worcester

The number of school closures in Herefordshire and Worcestershire's already passed 250 today.

Image source, Amber

In Worcestershire, the county council lists at least 150 shut because of the wintry weather from Storm Emma., external

While Herefordshire Council says, external more than 103 have already said they will be shut today.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

There are snow drifts of up to four feet (1.2m) in parts of Staffordshire today, according to the county council.

BBC News Travel

Passengers using buses in north Staffordshire are facing delays this morning as First Potteries says conditions are "hazardous".

Gritters have been working through the night in Herefordshire and Worcestershire with councils in both areas saying they'll target priority routes first., external

In Worcestershire, the county council is urging people not to travel unless essential as their gritters are being slowed down, external by "struggling vehicles".

Image source, Herefordshire Council

While Herefordshire Council's tweeted this morning that all school and college transport services have been cancelled today., external

BBC News Travel

Passengers planning to use Arriva Trains Wales across Cheshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire are being warned that many services have been suspended today., external

Image source, Other

Some routes are running on a reduced timetable with the operator saying the only services running on a limited basis include:, external

• Shrewsbury to Crewe
• Crewe to Chester
• Chester to Holyhead
• Wrexham to Bidston

Hundreds of schools are shut today across the West Midlands because of the forecast heavy snow and icy conditions.

Image source, Jon Kelso

Birmingham City Council's announced all council-run schools and day nurseries have been told to shut., external

Image source, OFRS

Fire crews from Oxfordshire have been at to two separate crashes involving lorries on the M40.

Highways England says the route is currently shut between J14 Leamington Spa and J12 Gaydon, after an HGV hit the central reservation.

Dozens of homes and businesses across the West Midlands are without power this morning., external

Western Power Distribution says it's trying to get them reconnected with affected areas including 90 in the Wolverhampton area, 67 in Stoke-on-Trent and 51 around Droitwich Spa.

Drivers are being urged to take care on the M6 southbound near junction 12, close to Cannock, as police warn of "lots of black ice".

The Central Motorway Police Group says a number of vehicles have already come off the motorway, external this morning but they say there have been no serious injuries.

Image source, Central Motorway Police Group

BBC Weather

Today's weather is dominated by more snow forecast across the West Midlands.

As we've mentioned, the Met Office has an amber warning for wind and snow for some of the region with a yellow alert , externalfor other areas.

Image source, Alec West

They say the snow will come with very strong, bitterly cold winds leading to blizzards and drifting snow with the warnings in place for much of today.

You can get an up-to-date weather forecast at any other time from the BBC Weather website.

BBC News Travel

The M40 in Warwickshire is shut on the southbound side from junction 14, near Warwick, to 12 after a lorry collided this morning with the central reservation., external

Warwickshire Police says there's also a lane shut on the northbound side up to junction 13 as the barrier has collapsed after the crash., external

As a surprise to no-one, the snow and icy conditions have forced several main routes in the Peak District to be shut.

They include the A537 Cat and Fiddle Road between Macclesfield and Buxton and the A53 between Leek and Buxton.

Image source, Cheshire Police

Cheshire Police says several vehicles were abandoned on the Cat and Fiddle overnight and a man in a van was saved after getting stuck., external

Allen Cook
BBC News

Morning everyone, we're set for a very busy morning today with snow and ice already covering much of the West Midlands and more expected.

The Met Office has an amber warning covering places like Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire while the rest of the region's covered by a yellow warning.

Image source, Met Office

We'll bring you all the latest on the disruption across the region so keep checking in with us for how the snow's affecting your area.

You can also let us know what's going on where you are and send photos from there via email, Facebook, external and Twitter, external.

More than 8,300 drivers tested positive for cannabis and 3,064 for cocaine since March 2015.

"Fish and chips bring us together," says a local after "five-year" wait for the takeaway favourite.

Andy Giddings
BBC News

We'll be back with the latest on the weather and all the other news from 06:00 on Friday, but keep an eye out here for more updates before then.

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning covering most of the West Midlands tomorrow, with only Staffordshire in the "yellow warning" area.

It has also issued a more severe red warning for an area of south Wales, just south of Herefordshire.

Image source, Met Office

The Met Office says its red warning means "extreme weather is expected" and people "should take action now to keep yourself and others safe from the impact of the weather".

A Telford-based company is creating driving simulators to train police in Bangladesh.

Tim Luft, the CEO of VR Simulation Systems, said he was "quite surprised to get the inquiry".

Firefighters were called out to rescue a dog from a freezing pond in Stoke-on-Trent this morning, after it fell through the ice.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service says it happened at Burslem Park, in Moorland Road, just before 10:10 and the dog was able to get itself out before they arrived.

The fire service is advising dog owners to keep their pets on a lead when near water.

Hundreds of schools across the West Midlands have already made the decision to close tomorrow, because of the cold weather.

Heavy snow and freezing temperatures are forecast overnight and there could be more that make the decision to shut tomorrow morning.

Local authorities are putting together lists of those affected on their websites.

Image source, Emily68