Summary

  • Hundreds of schools remained shut on Friday after heavy snow overnight

  • There were problems on motorways and other roads in the West Midlands

  • Birmingham Airport runway reopened after flights disruption

  • The Army were brought in to assist in the Staffordshire Moorlands

  • A number of visitor attractions were closed due to the severe weather

Live Reporting

  1. Should I work from home?

    National Highways has issued a severe travel alert warning of snow, wind, and poor visibility across the Midlands, as well as England's North West and North East.

    The alert is set to remain in place from 9am on Thursday until 8am on Friday, with drivers advised to check ahead and plan for disruption to their journeys.

    The RAC has said motorists should heed the warnings and that, for those in the worst affected places, it may be best to work from home.

    They said those who have no choice but to drive should only do so if they are properly prepared and if their cars are ready for the conditions, with well-inflated tyres and sufficient levels of oil, coolant, and screenwash.

    Traffic driving along a snowy motorwayPA Media

  2. School closures in Herefordshire

    A number of schools across Herefordshire will be shut or partially closed today because of the weather, including three primaries and two high schools.

    Wigmore and Fairfield high schools are among those that will be shut to pupils, according to Herefordshire Council's website.

  3. Latest TV weather forecast for the West Midlands

    Natasha Turney
    BBC Weather

    It will be a cloudy day with with sleet and snow moving in, turning to rain later with highs of just 1 to 4°C (34 to 39°F).

    Latest weather forecast for the West Midlands

  4. M5 northbound closed after serious crash

    A serious crash has closed a stretch of the M5 northbound in Worcestershire.

    The crash, involving two cars and a lorry at junction four, near Bromsgrove, happened shortly after midnight, travel firm Inrix is reporting.

    The northbound carriageway is closed between junctions three and five.

    Traffic is being diverted, with the closure likely to remain in place throughout the morning.

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  5. Avoid travelling if possible, says National Highways

    Snow and ice are set to cause widespread disruption across the West Midlands region, with Met Office warnings in place throughout the day.

    Weather warning mapMet Office

    In higher parts of north Staffordshire, a Met Office amber weather warning predicts heavy snowfall of up to 40cm (16in) in places.

    Most of the rest of the region is under a yellow warning, with ice and snow potentially making road conditions treacherous.

    National Highways has asked drivers to avoid travelling, if possible.

  6. Good morning

    Vanessa Pearce
    BBC News

    Good morning.

    With snow and ice set to cause disruption across the West Midlands region, we're bringing you all the latest news, travel and weather.

    We love to hear from you, so share your news, thoughts and photos of the area with us via email, Twitter and Facebook.