Britain has been hit with a huge barrage of snow, causing hundreds of schools to close, with the worse still to come.
Schools across both England and Wales closed after meteorologists warned of dangerous conditions.
The Welsh county of Flintshire decided to shut all 88 of its schools, leaving parents furious at having to take the day off work.
Other areas affected with school closures were Bradford with eight, Powys with six, Kirklees had four and Derbyshire with two.
Thousands of children were out of school today
PA
The Met Office issued amber warnings for the areas affected – North Wales and Shropshire, as well as the South Penines and Peak District, due to last until 3pm and 6pm today respectively.
However, the worse is yet to come according to Met Office spokesperson Oli Claydon, who said: “The worst of the snow will be later on today.
“Through this morning and this afternoon you’re more likely to see accumulations.
“The snow risk tomorrow is moving much further north, and it will be a bit of a drier day.”
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Some areas saw up to 10 inches of snow
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Met Office chief meteorologist Kathryn Chalk said: “Make sure you’re staying tuned to the forecast and the Met Office warning page for any updates that we may issue.
“Before that, make sure that for your journey times you plan longer, especially in the snow.”
Yellow snow warnings have also been issued, with northern England, north Wales, Northern Ireland and northern and central Scotland all affected.
These will be in effect until 6am tomorrow morning, with Scotland’s warning in effect until 3pm that afternoon.
Yellow amber snow warnings have been issued to certain parts of Britain
PA
Snow is expected to continue falling as the day progresses, with sleet and rain expected to be mixed in certain situations as well.
Despite these areas seeing up to 10 inches of snow, southern England was not affected, instead being hit by heavy rain.
The adverse weather conditions caused severe travel delays for those living in the affected areas.
That included flooding blocking the Great Western Railway line between Swindon and Chippenham in Wiltshire, a fallen tree near Fareham in Hampshire, and a landslip between Shipley and Ilkley in West Yorkshire.
The Met Office also warns that untreated pavements and cycle paths are likely to be impassable, with injuries from slips and falls likely on icy surfaces.
Across the country there have also been stark differences in temperature, with the Highlands seeing lows of -19C while Cornwall saw highs of 12C.
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