Weather: Snow causes widespread disruption and school closures

Nearly 300 schools were closed across Wales due to heavy snow which caused widespread disruption and cut off rural communities.

The Met Office upgraded its weather warning to amber, running from midday Thursday until 09:00 GMT on Friday.

Bus services were cancelled in Wrexham and roads closed in Denbighshire.

Schools were closed in Wrexham, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Powys, Blaenau Gwent, Gwynedd, Torfaen and Caerphilly.

It comes after about 10cm (4in) of snow fell on Wednesday.

Flintshire council has announced all schools across the county will close on Friday as heavy snow is expected to continue to cause disruption into the morning.

Children in Carmarthen made a snowman on Wednesday

There were 235 schools closed across north Wales on Thursday.

More than 200 schools were closed on Wednesday after heavy snow fell in south, west and mid Wales.

The Met Office said heavy snow was likely to cause significant disruption. The amber warning affects Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Powys and Wrexham.

It also warned of ice from 04:00 on Friday to 10:00 in Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Torfaen.

BBC weather presenter Sabrina Lee said the affected areas could see 10 to 20cm (4 to 8in) of snow, with a chance of up to 30cm (12in) on higher ground.

A yellow warning for snow and ice is also in place for 10 of Wales' 22 local authority areas until 14:00 on Friday.

This covers Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Anglesey, Monmouthshire, Powys and Wrexham.

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Anglesey County Council leader Llinos Medi told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast gritters had been out overnight on the island.

It was important during the day that carers could get out to rural areas, she said. She urged people to check on vulnerable neighbours.

Tucker and Molly enjoying the snow in Pandy, Wrexham

Farmer John Jones took extra feed for his sheep near Llandyrnog, Denbighshire on Thursday morning

Road closures and bus service cancellations

The Met Office warned vehicles could become stranded on roads, with rail services cancelled and possible power cuts.

The mountain road between Heol y Glo and Llangynwyd in Bridgend county was impassable at points because of heavy snowfall.

In north Wales, the A542 Horseshoe Pass between Llangollen and Pen-y-Stryt in Denbighshire, and the A4086 in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, were both closed.

The A543 was also shut in both directions from the A5 at Pentrefoelas, in Conwy, to the Llyn Brenig turn off.

The B4368 between The Abermule pub, in Abermule, Powys, and the Newtown turn off at Kerry was impassable in both directions.

The B5113 was closed in both directions from the B5427's Llanrwst turn off, at Nebo, in Gwynedd, to the A5 at Pentrefoelas.

Bryn Road, at Bryn-y-Baal, Flintshire, is impassable in both directions between Llewelyn Drive and Alltami Road.

For the latest traffic updates, you can follow Traffic Wales.

Snowy fields in Tan y Fron, Bylchau, Conwy county on Thursday

Bus services have also been affected. Arriva Buses Wales said all services in Wrexham had begun again after they were earlier suspended.

Further updates to bus services can be found here.

Denbigh Castle in the snow

A warning for heavy snow was issued for Conwy

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