UK weather: Band of snow spread across country

Heavy snow has fallen across parts of the UK after warnings from forecasters that large swathes of England would see up to 4in (10cm) fall on Monday.

The Met Office has amber warnings for snow in place in north-east and east England, Yorkshire and Humber, and the East Midlands until midnight.

The snow has caused disruption to the railways, with several cancellations on routes between London and East Anglia.

Parts of Scotland also saw heavy snowfall, with Aberdeenshire worst hit.

The BBC Weather Centre predicted further snow in some eastern areas overnight but said ice could be the headache for many commuters in the morning.

The snowfall marked the start of what forecasters are predicting will be a bitterly cold week.

Eddy Carroll, chief forecaster for the Met Office, warned snow on Monday and into Tuesday would lead to disruption in eastern parts of the UK.

Snow ploughs and gritters were needed to keep the runway at Stansted airport in Essex clear of snow

He added: "With some very low temperatures over the next few nights we also expect ice in many places and people should be prepared for travel problems."

Temperatures are expected to drop to around -10C across rural Scotland on Monday night, and possibly as low as -5C across other parts of northern and eastern England.

Rail operator Greater Anglia issued a series of service alterations and cancellations for services to and from East Anglia to London Liverpool Street on Monday. Speed restrictions are expected to remain on some routes on Tuesday.

In other developments:

• The Met Office said ice was likely to be a "widespread problem" in Wales

• Councils in Scotland were prepared to cope with snow and widespread ice, the country's transport minister said, while heavy snow caused travel disruption in the Grampian area

• Several schools closed in Leicestershire and Rutland, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire on Monday, with some planning to remain closed on Tuesday. A handful of schools were shut in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire

• Major UK airports - including Heathrow and Gatwick - said they were operating as usual but advised passengers to check before they travelled

• Norwich International airport was closed on Monday evening due to heavy snow

• Leeds Bradford Airport said it was monitoring the situation after the conditions caused disruption to some flights. There were minor delays due to snow flurries at London Luton Airport and London Stansted

• Norfolk County Council tweeted that it may need to use snow ploughs to clear overnight snow on Monday and into Tuesday

BBC duty weather manager, Holly Green, said the location of the amber warnings has been shifting southwards out of the far north-east and into East Anglia.

Steve Crosthwaite, of the Highways Agency, said motorists should check the latest travel advice before they set out, check their vehicle was prepared for the conditions and take warm clothing and food.

He added: "We are using salt to treat the road network and have ploughs and snow blowers on standby if necessary. Our traffic officers are working around the clock to monitor our road network, deal with any incidents and keep traffic moving."

Tasmin Jeff-Johnson, from the RAC, urged motorists to take sensible shoes and a warm coat on any snow-affected journey. She also advised drivers to take a shovel and pieces of old carpet to provide traction in case of breakdown.

The four Met Office amber warnings - advising people to be prepared - were re-issued at about 11:30 GMT on Monday to run until 23:55 GMT.

The public should be prepared for the risk of disruption, particularly to travel, the Met Office said.

Yellow warnings - advising people to "be aware" of severe weather - remain in place for much of the UK.

Forecasters have predicted a cold, frosty but drier day on Tuesday for most of the UK with further snow showers expected to affect eastern coasts.

The Met Office also issued a cold weather alert, warning of a 90% probability of severe cold weather or icy conditions until Friday in parts of England.

The level three alert - one below a national emergency - warns the weather could increase health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt services, and notifies the authorities to take action.

The cold spell is being caused by an abrupt jump in temperatures high in the stratosphere, which can bring snow, forecasters explained.

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