Snow and travel disruption hit UK - Friday 18 January | News | The Guardian Snow and travel disruption hit UK - Friday 18 January National and London school closures A council gritter spreading grit on roads in Bath today, as heavy snow fell on parts of the UK. Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images Friday 18 January 2013 15.24 EST First published on Friday 18 January 2013 16.31 EST Close 8.24pm GMT The fun – or misery depending on the point of view – is likely to carry on into next week with fresh snow predicted and icy weather expected to continue to grip Britain, writes the Guardian's Steve Morris. He has filed a wrap-up of how the weather has impacted on the UK today, and it ain't over yet: Over the weekend, significant snowfalls are predicted in the Scottish Highlands and there is expected to be flurries of snow in central England, East Anglia and north-west England on Saturday and during Sunday. On Sunday evening another band of snow is expected to sweep across south-east England and there could be one or two further falls next week.

Temperatures are expected to remain around freezing until the week after next when the thaw should finally set in. And on that note we are going to wrap up the blog. Have a good weekend, stay safe and keep warm. 8.22pm GMT The RAC, which rescued a number of stranded motorists in west Wales, Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire and Hampshire earlier today, is braced for a busier day tomorrow once the consequences of freezing temperatures overnight are felt on the roads. "It was a relatively slow start to the day because a lot of people were not on the roads and seemed to have decided not to go out, but as the snow stopped more people took to the roads," a spokesman told me. "The challenge today has been to get through the weather ourselves and then be in a position to help people. It's been particularly busy in Easy Anglia, because they have already had the snow and it froze over night.

It has also got busier around London as the day went on and the volume of calls there is definitely now up." 7.59pm GMT Here's a sprinkling of some of the sentiment from weary train travelers this evening: TwoShades (@YoungGemzAnna) I don't think anyone understands what I've been through tonight! Unless you're a train passenger tonight, you have no idea-.- I hate snow! January 18, 2013 Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) Just seen first hand why trains reduce speed in snow. Windows on our Virgin Train have been cracked by chunks of ice! January 18, 2013 Tom Williams (@tomwilliamsisme) Ticket restrictions have been lifted on South West Trains. I get the feeling this is how the British would respond to an apocalypse. January 18, 2013 7.40pm GMT Staying with the skiing theme, and it seems that the artificial ski slope in Telford, Shropshire, was closed today because of the snow, the BBC reported earlier.

Still, if you have the urge to strap on some skis, there's no need to jump on a plane or even, if you live south of the border, head to Scotland. You could try one of England's six ski centres in the Pennines and the Lake District, writes Paul Godsmark, whose piece for the Been There site has been updated and published on the Guardian's travel pages . He writes : All of the ski centres in England are in the Pennines and the Lake District, and while they might enjoy seasons that can be measured in weeks or even days, rather than months, when the snow does come they are well worth a visit. With the return of cold weather and snow this past week, Yad Moss and Raise in Cumbria, Weardale in County Durham and Another World in West Yorkshire have all reported that their tow lifts are spinning already, serving "fast snow on frozen grass". With further snowfalls forecast, conditions are likely to improve significantly, and Allenheads (Northumberland) and Harwood (County Durham) may also open for skiing. 7.26pm GMT close Nothing much really needs to be said about this video - except perhaps.... don't try this at home?

Updated at 7.26pm GMT 7.18pm GMT In Northern Ireland, three thousand households are without power in County Down tonight after snow and heavy winds damaged power lines, reports Henry McDonald, the Guardian's Ireland correspondent: Northern Ireland Electricity said the power cuts have occurred in Bangor, Downpatrick, Rathfriland, Hillsborough, Ballynahich and Dromara. Temperatures are expected to fall to around -6 degrees tonight in the province. Belfast commuters meanwhile who have been subjected to nearly six weeks of traffic disruption every Friday evening due to roadblocks connected to the Union flag dispute are enduring more misery on the roads tonight. However this time is the snow and ice causing chaos on major arterial routes rather than loyalist demonstrators who appeared to have melted away tonight . Updated at 7.19pm GMT 7.13pm GMT To the north of England now, and the Yorkshire Evening Post reports that snow showers have been forecast in Leeds for the rest of the weekend. Temperatures are meanwhile not expected to climb above freezing on Sunday, it adds. Allsports pitches managedby Leeds City Council arealso out of action this weekend.

6.58pm GMT Getting home tonight is a slow business for many weary travelers by the looks of it. This is from Victoria Station in the last hour: James Bolton (@JamesABolton) 6.37pm GMT The Situation Tonight Members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment cross Horse Guards Parade in the snow in central London today. Photograph: STEFAN WERMUTH/REUTERS The Press Association just published a new lead story on the situation tonight, to which I've added links to further detail in today's blog (and a few new photos) HEAVY SNOW BRINGS TRAVEL DISRUPTION Thousands of households were left without power as heavy snow swept the UK and brought parts of the country slipping and sliding to a halt. Hundreds of flights were cancelled at Britain's busiest airport [ photos ] while train companies axed rail services [ see 4.44pm ] and roads were closed. Motorists were urged to avoid all but essential journeys amid strong winds, plunging temperatures and blizzards which sent several cars spinning into ditches. The arctic blasts forced nearly 2,000 schools to shut their doors, meaning some sixth-form and college students had their A-level exams postponed.

[list of National closures , and within London ] The weather meant good news for thousands of school-children, who escaped the classroom to enjoy the snow. But the weather heaped misery on more than 10,000 households in South Wales, where residents found themselves with no power this morning. Western Power said it was working to resolve the problem and later restored electricity in half of the homes affected. It came after the Met Office issued a "red" severe weather warning for heavy snow in Wales, which experienced the worst of the snow, with some 25cm falling at Sennybridge, in Powys. An abandoned car stands in a country lane near LLandissilio, west Wales today. Photograph: REBECCA NADEN/REUTERS The forecast led hundreds of people to rush to the shops to stock up on provisions amid fears they would be snowed in. Frantic scenes of panic-buying were later reported in stores across the West Country, Home Counties and south Wales as stores ran low on stock. Meanwhile several airports were forced to ground flights or close following thick snow flurries and near galeforce winds of 30mph.

A spokesman for Heathrow - which shut both runways for periods during the day to clear snow - said 369 flights were cancelled. Passengers waiting to rebooked their flights in Terminal 5 at Heathrow airport. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA Bristol and Birmingham airports closed for a time while Southampton stayed shut for most of the day. Rail travellers also experienced upheaval as operators scrapped services. Eurostar axed trains between London and Brussels while South West Trains announced cancellations. The East Midlands, Greater Anglia and Southern companies ran amended timetables. Poor conditions - which saw between 5cm and 10cm of snow settle across much of the country - also caused severe hold-ups and several prangs on the roads. Cardiff city centre became a sludgy bumper-to-bumper convoy of commuters this morning as some braved the conditions, while other usually busy routes were empty of cars. By the end of the day, the AA expected to have attended around 11,000 call-outs, compared with around 9,500 on an average Friday. It said the busiest areas were the south coast, parts of south west England, the Midlands and London.

Traffic on a snowy M42 motorway in Derbyshire. Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA Darron Burness, the AA's head of special operations, said: "There's been a big impact on the roads as the snow fell so heavily with traffic crawling on many routes and we've had reports of journeys taking three or four times longer than usual. "With the snow compacting down and turning icy, we're likely to see treacherous driving conditions this evening and throughout the weekend. Any fresh snow on top will just add to the problems." The Met Office - which issued Amber alerts for the Midlands, London and the South, the east of England, the South West, the North West and Northern Ireland - warned snow and ice could continue to wreak havoc. Frank Saunders, Met Office chief forecaster, said: "Although some further slight snowfalls are likely, with 1cm to 2cm of fresh snow in a few places, the focus switches to ice, with temperatures staying below zero over snow cover for many areas. "The public should be aware of the risk of localised disruption to transport during this spell of wintry weather." People have a snow ball fight in Bristol. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA And a reminder..

5.49pm GMT Scotland warned: snow on the way People walk on St Andrews Golf Course in Scotland earlier today. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images For Scotland, the snow disruption has yet to really begin. The Met Office has warned that there could be heavy snow in Aberdeenshire, Angus and Perthshire tonight and tomorrow morning. There are also Amber "be prepared" warnings issued for the Grampians, Tayside, Fife and Central regions. That means the Met expects "frequent, and occasionally heavy, snow showers" 5.41pm GMT The total number of flight cancelled at Heathrow is now up to 369 flights, due to the temporary runway closures and restrictions on landings imposed for safety reasons. 5.36pm GMT Over in Wales, Western Power has now restored electricity to around half of the 10,000 homes who were cut off this morning. 5.27pm GMT Clare Carswell of Press Association Scotland has the full story about the hillwalker who was found safe and well after becoming lost in Scotland today: The woman became separated from her group on Cairn Toul in the Cairngorms at 12.45pm.

Grampian Police and Braemar Mountain Rescue worked in partnership with the RAF to locate the woman, who is believed to be uninjured. A police spokesman said: "The female walker became separated from a group at around 12.45pm due to severe weather conditions. "Emergency services were contacted and a full-scale search was launched. "The female was later reunited with the group and is believed to be uninjured. "The group are believed to be from outwith the Grampian area. "Given the severe weather conditions, mountain rescue teams are in the process of rendezvousing with the party." 5.23pm GMT Underground delays The London Underground may be creaking under the strain tonight -- the Piccadilly Line is suffering problems between Arnos Grove and Cockfosters (it's Northern extremity, where the track is above ground level) Also, a signal failure at Great Portland Street is causing delays on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.

5.15pm GMT There are significant delays tonight on First Capital Connect, which runs services from London to Brighton, Bedford, Cambridge and Peterborough (among others) Some services are over two hour's late: Details here 5.09pm GMT Sky News's weather desk reckon there will still be snow falling over a swathe of the UK by early tomorrow morning, starting roughly across the Pennines and heading towards London, then to down to Dover. Photograph: Sky News On the roads... There are now three Very Serious incidents on Britain's motorways tonight • M5: Two lanes closed and queueing traffic on M5 northbound between J11a, A417 (Brockworth Bypass) and J11, A40, due to an incident [the police are there now] • M42 : very slow traffic southbound at J3a M42, close to where it joins the M40, because of an accident that closed all three lanes.

There are also severe delays traveling North • M48: closed between J1 and J2 because the Severn Bridge is shut Several other motorways also have problems, including the M40, which will make it hard for London commuters heading west Oxford Tube (@Oxford_Tube) We're operating a 30 min service from each end, leaving Victoria at 00 & 30 past the hour & from Oxford at 20 & 50. #oxsnow January 18, 2013 4.46pm GMT Birmingham airport has closed due to the adverse weather conditions with all flights suspended until at least 6pm GMT while the airfield is cleared. James Brilliant is on the case: More than 20 departures will be affected by the closure. Earlier today the airport's website crashed as passengers sought information over possible delays and cancellations. Across the West Midlands more than 150 schools have been closed; up to 15cm (6in) of snow predicted in some parts. Southampton airport is also still closed, but it could reopen at 5pm.

Updated 4.44pm GMT Rail update National Rail is tweeting the major disruption points this evening, and reiterating that while there are delays, the "vast majority" of lines are still open: Some of the delays are quite serious, though - and there's a reduced service on the main route from London to Cardiff: National Rail (@nationalrailenq) Brent: Eleven schools closed or closing early Ealing: Twenty two schools closed or closing early Hounslow: Twenty schools closed or closing early Richmond upon Thames: Four schools closed or closing early Kingston upon Thames: Twenty schools closed or closing early Merton: Nine schools closed or closing early Sutton: Thirty six schools closed or closing early Croydon: Forty six schools closed or closing early Bromley: Nineteen schools closed or closing early Lewisham: Two schools closed or closing early Greenwich: Five schools closed or closing early Bexley: Fifty five schools closed or closing early Havering: Thirty schools closed or closing early Barking and Dagenham: Three schools closed or closing early today Redbridge: Eighteen schools closed or closing early today Newham: Sixteen schools closed or closing early today Waltham Forest: Three schools closed or closing early today Haringey: Two schools

 closed or closing early today Enfield: Two schools closed or closing early Barnet: Eleven schools closed or closing early Harrow: Twenty five schools closed or closing early Hillingdon: Twenty five schools closed or closing early Children enjoy the snow in Emmer Green, Reading, today.

Photograph: Geoffrey Swaine/Rex Features 3.21pm GMT Severn Bridge closed as UK road network suffers There are now reports of road disruption across swathes of the UK, as this map shows ( via the BBC Travel News site ). Photograph: BBC Travel The Severn Bridge has been closed because of the snow (although the M4 'second crossing' is still working). The latest details are online here . The M40 is blocked southbound at J3a in Warwickshire because of an accident.

There are then another 15 Severe incidents on Britain's motorways: • M1 Northamptonshire, northbound between M45 Dunchurch [M1 junction 17] and A5 [M1 junction 18] • M4 Berkshire, westbound between A4 [M4 junction 12] and A34 Chieveley [M4 junction 13] • M5 Somerset, both ways between A38 [M5 junction 26] and A369 [M5 junction 19] • M5 Bristol, northbound between A4018 [M5 junction 17] and A38 [M5 junction 16] • M5 Bristol, southbound between A38 [M5 junction 16] and A4018 [M5 junction 17] • M5 Bristol, northbound between M4 [M5 junction 15] and B4509 Thornbury [M5 junction 14] • M5 Bristol, both ways between M49 [M5 junction 18A] and B4509 Thornbury [M5 junction 14] • M5 Glouce

stershire, both ways between B4509 Thornbury [M5 junction 14] and M50 [M5 junction 8] • M6 Staffordshire, northbound at A460 [M6 junction 11] • M18 South Yorkshire, southbound at A1 [M18 junction 2] • M25 Hertfordshire, clockwise between A111 [M25 junction 24] and A10 [M25 junction 25] • M40 Warwickshire, northbound between A46 [M40 junction 15] and A3400 [M40 junction 16] • M42 Warwickshire, southbound at A5 [M42 junction 10] • M42 Warwickshire, northbound between M40 [M42 junction 3A] and A34 [M42 junction 4] • M42 West Midlands, southbound at A34 [M42 junction 4] Britain's A-roads are also suffering, with delays, closures or accidents on many major routes in South Wales, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Hampshire,

 and Norfolk (among others) Photos: 240 flights cancelled at Heathrow Crowds waiting at check in at Heathrow Terminal 5.

Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA An update from Heathrow. As expected ( see 11.06am ), the re-opening of its North runway was followed by the temporary closure of its South one. Both are currently operating having been cleared of snow. But the number of cancelled flight has now risen to 240. This is partly due to air traffic control, who have restricted the flow of aircraft into Heathrow because of poor visibility. A plane sits on the runway at Heathrow airport. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA A snow plough clears snow from Heathrow Airport. Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA 2.51pm GMT Northern Ireland ready for disruption The icy grip of the snowfall is reaching as far as Northern Ireland, where two centimetres of snow is expected to fall today on hills and mountains. The Met Office is warning the province's motorists to prepare for icy weather over the weekend. Our correspondent Henry McDonald reports: There are already reports coming in of snow in Derrylin, County Fermanagh; Spelga Dam, and Kilcoo, County Down. Northern Ireland's Transport Minister Danny Kennedy said that gritters were on standby to deal with bad weather.

Kennedy added that more than 300 staff along with 130 gritters are ready to keep roads open as the snow starts to fall. "During spells of prolonged snow, all gritters will be fitted with snow ploughs and efforts directed to clearing snow from motorways and the trunk roads, before moving to other main roads and the busiest urban link roads," the Minister said. Northern Ireland's road service will also use its snow blowers which can clear 1,600 tonnes of snow per hour, Kennedy said. 2.45pm GMT close 2.26pm GMT Green Flag, the vehicle breakdown service, says they are receiving fewer calls for help than yesterday - suggesting drivers are keeping off the roads: South Wales, Norfolk and Essex remain the biggest problem areas, though. Miranda Schunke, Green Flag spokesperson, said: Drivers across the country appear to be heeding warnings and keeping off the roads, as our call out volumes have fallen considerably from a peak on Thursday when they were 50% ahead of usual levels. However some areas continue to see motorists badly affected, with Green Flag witnessing a significant number of call outs for breakdown support in South Wales, along with Essex and Norfolk.

2.02pm GMT Councils: we're gritting, and we'll keep gritting Local councils across the country are pledging to keep the gritters running while the snow disruption continues: OxfordshireCC (@OxfordshireCC) Gritters with snow ploughs will continue to roam the streets of Oxfordshire as long as the snow continues.

January 18, 2013 And here's a summary of the disruption we know about: • Delays of up to 60 minutes to services through Blackfriars station, due to a broken-down train on the Thameslink • Delays of up to 20 minutes to South Eastern trains travelling through London Bridge • All services are suspended on the Isle of Wight's Island Line • Ongoing delays between Bicester North and London • There are currently delays of up to 30 minutes between Plymouth and Exester St Davids • Speed restrictions on the eurostar, and cancellation of the 14:04 London St Pancras to Brussels Midi, and the 17:56 Brussels Midi to London St Pancras • delays of up to 40 minutes through Cardiff Central • South West Trains has already announced some station closures and service cancellations for Saturday, with a number closed today ( list ) 1.44pm GMT Interactive: Snowfall and school closures My colleagues on the Datablog have created this interactive map showing snow depths across Britain (the white blobs) and the latest school closures information: 1.13pm GMT Power cut in Kensington We're getting reports of a power cut in Kensington

, London due to the snow, cutting off almost 500 homes: My colleague James Brilliant has the details: In Kensington (W14), London, a power sub station has failed due to the cold weather affecting approximately 480 properties.

UK Power Networks engineers are currently trying to repair the fault, which they say "may last for some time". They are being supported by Hammersmith & Fulham Council Emergency Services, and a team from the Red Cross who are providing assistance to residents. Updated Plenty of snow-related advice has landed. Here's a few: Don't pour hot water on ice to melt it Alex Pitt, director of snow-clearing equipment experts Tracmaster, explains: This is a short-term solution, as once it cools it will freeze over the existing ice making the problem worse. Salt or grit is a better approach. Don't bunk off work Louise Holder, Principal at commercial law firm EMW, warns: All employees have a duty to make reasonable efforts to get to work, even if the conditions are difficult. These efforts might include waiting much longer than normal for public transport, a taxi, car-sharing, or walking. Looking out of the window and deciding to make no effort to get to work at all is simply not an option. And living deep in the country is not a defense... All employees have the same duty to go to work, regardless of where they live.

Your choice of where to live is not your employer’s responsibility, so there are no allowances made in law for employees who live in remote or rural areas. Don't be careless by the canal Your local waterways may look more beautiful than ever, but the towpaths are slippy and the snow can conceal boat mooring rings and ropes. Simon Salem, director at Canal & River Trust, cautions against complacency: It’s important that people take care whilst enjoying the waterways this winter, wear appropriate footwear and stay away from the edge. There is no reason why everyone can’t enjoy the picture-postcard beauty of their local waterway in safety this winter. And it should go without saying, but don't walk on the ice.

Updated 12.57pm GMT School closures in full Here's a comprehensive round-up of school closures across Britain (with many thanks to my colleague James Brilliant) Cornwall: One school closed, Two schools late opening Devon: More than 40 schools and colleges closed Somerset: More than 60 schools and colleges closed Dorset: More than 50 schools and colleges closed Hampshire + Isle of Wight: More than 400 schools and colleges closed Gloucestershire: More than 300 schools and colleges closed Wiltshire: More than 150 schools and colleges closed Bristol: More than 120 schools and colleges closed Berkshire: More than 50 schools and colleges closed West Sussex: More than 50 schools and colleges closed East Sussex: 3 schools and colleges closed Kent: 2 schools and colleges closed Surrey: More than 35 schools and colleges closed Oxfordshire: Around 100 schools closed or closing early Buckinghamshire: Approximately 50 schools closed or closing early Hertfordshire: Over 50 schools closed or closing early Essex: 2 schools and colleges closing early Bedfordshire: No reported closures at 1.01pm GMT 12.43pm GMT

 MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, is predicting that 4-6in (10-15cm) of snow would cover much of the country before the flurries ease off this evening.

Laura Caldwell, a MeteoGroup forecaster explained: There's going to be quite strong winds which will push the snow into drifts. Over the next 24 hours it is possible that 30cm or slightly more will fall in Wales. Winds will be near galeforce in coastal areas and it could gust up to galeforce around the Scottish isles, which traditionally get the worst winds. 12.40pm GMT Photos: snowfall around Britain David Cameron, leaving 10 Downing Street to address the House of Commons on the hostage taking situation in Algeria. Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images A man checks the size of the icicles at Gibson's Cave in Teesdale today as temperatures have reached minus 5 degrees C. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA People walk through Queens Square in Bristol. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA A woman makes a snow-angel in the snow in Bristol. Photograph: Ben Birchall/PA 12.32pm GMT London City airport is also suffering disruption, with at least 10 outward flights out listed as cancelled ( live information here ).

A spokeswoman just told me that the runway remains open, but that travellers should check their flight status with their airline before travelling to the airport. 12.23pm GMT Energy prices rise as Britain shivers In a classic example of the worst possible timing, E.On's energy price rises ( announced in early-December ) are introduced today - affecting four million consumers. Consumer reporter Mark King explains that On the day when snow hits communities across the UK, the firm is putting up gas prices by an average of 9.4%, while electricity prices will rise by an average of 7.7%. It means the typical dual fuel customer will see their bills go up by 8.7%, adding more than £100 to the average annual bill. Direct debit customers will see bills rise from £1,160 to £1,261 a year, while those paying by cash or cheque will pay £1,370, up from £1,260. Kate Rose of comparison site Confused.com, has weighed in on the increases, claiming households that have never switched their energy supplier could save as much as £300 a year by switching.

To save money, she recommends people get their gas and electricity from the same supplier as dual fuel deals are normally cheaper; pay by direct debit and switch to online account management; and consider a fixed price or capped tariff, "which can offer price security against future price rises.” 12.13pm GMT Our picture desk have created a gallery of some of the best photos of the snow - here . While our gallery of readers' photos is filling up nicely . 12.06pm GMT Dog footprints give police a lead Here's a remarkable, er, tale: Police have arrested two men after tracking a mile-long trail of snowy pawprints left by a dog spotted at the scene of a metal theft. PA has the story: The pair, aged 21 and 33, were taken into custody early today after officers followed the dog's prints from the scene of a gas meter theft to the front door of a house in Coseley, West Midlands. A tip-off that men seen running from the victim's property were accompanied by a dog prompted police to track footprints and pawprints through residential streets and across a playing field.

Sergeant James Jones, who covers Coseley, said: "The fact that we knew we were looking for the specific tracks of two people and a dog meant that the officers who quickly arrived at the scene were able to establish exactly which prints to follow. "The search went on for half an hour as officers tracked the suspects over a distance of more than a mile. "The two men were then arrested and are being questioned about this incident." It is believed that the gas meter was targeted at about 4.45am to steal metal pipework. Which is a good excuse to run this photo of a different hound -- Tess the dog playing in the snow in Bramhall Park in Stockport this morning. . Photograph: ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images This photo from Bristol shows how two lorries were halted by the snow, Updated 11.20am GMT Key event In Suffolk, people are being urged to check on older neighbours who may be struggling in the bad weather: Rebecca Smithers, our consumer affairs correspondent, reports: In Suffolk and Norfolk dozens of schools were closed amid warnings of further snowfall tonight.

But in Suffolk - renowned for its flat land and lack of hills - children have generally got used to not being able to go tobogganing... Snowstorms are likely to hit Suffolk and Essex this evening, prompting warnings not to travel or go out after dark. Norwich-based Weatherquest said up to five inches of snow could fall across the region, while windspeeds could be as high as 25mph. The death of an elderly man in Buxhall, near Stowmarket in Suffolk, apparently while clearing snow, has prompted calls for people to check on older and vulnerable neighbours. Wil Gibson, chairman of Suffolk ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), said: “It’s in situations like these that the importance of community support networks really comes to the fore. “I think they are critical and we should be making a call to Suffolk people to look after their neighbours and think about people who live on their patch.” 11.11am GMT More from Heathrow: IT management consultant Nick Powell tweets that he's been stuck on a plane for over an hour since landing at the airport from Chicago.

Nick Powell (@nickpowell77) @ heathrowairport Please get us off BA296, we've been on the ground for over an hour. #heathrow #snow #calamity The view in London Photograph: Rex Features The snow is falling steadily in London now, and City workers are looking nervously out the window. Will Hedden (@WillHedden_IG) IG towers is on the north bank of the Thames. I currently can only just make out the south bank. #SNOW 10.47am GMT Southampton suffers On the south coast, Southampton is being hit hard by the snow, with its airport now expected to be closed until 3pm. Up to 15cm (6in) of snowfall is now predicted (via the BBC). Gritters have been out in force around Southampton General Hospital to help traffic get in and out. And this atmospheric photo from Southampton, from reader Andy Fidler, shows the scene this morning: Photograph: Andy Fidler 10.37am GMT The snow has also hit the sporting calendar. Horse racing has just been cancelled at Wolverhampton, after 2 inches of snow fell on the course.

Clerk of the course Fergus Cameron said the flakes were coming down faster than staff could clear them away: We are forecast a further deterioration of the weather and we've had no option but to call it off. Chepstow, in Monmouthshire, Wales, had already called off its meeting. Tomorrow's racing at Taunton and Haydock has already been cancelled, and there's an inspection due at Lingfield at 11am. 10.28am GMT How to cycle in the snow If you're considering cycling in the snow, may I recommend this list of tips. 10.20am GMT Guardian readers send photos....and you can join them With significant snow falling across the UK, Guardian readers have been sending in photos – and you can add your own to the gallery here . Simply upload a picture on Instagram or to Twitter using the tag #guardiansnow. (We'll only be able to see yours if you turn on 'add to your photo map'.) Here's a few early favourites: Emma Willis (@emmawillisshine) British Airways cancel flights A plane comes in to land at Heathrow airport.

Photograph: Steve Parsons/PA Just in: British Airways has cancelled more than 60 of its flights, and says this figure was likely to change during the day. Looking at its flight information page , I can see more than 30 cancellations from Heathrow (destinations include Athens, Hamburg and New York) between now and 1pm. BA says: If you are due to fly to or from any of our London airports on Friday 18, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 January, you may change the date of your flight, free of charge, to a later date between 24 January and 10 February. 9.47am GMT A second closure on the M4, eastbound between junction 19 and 18, due to "a broken down lorry and snow". 9.44am GMT Flights at several UK airports have been disrupted: • Some flights at Newcastle Airport were cancelled • the runway was closed at Jersey Airport. • Southampton Airport cancelled flights this morning as workers tried to clear snow from its runway -- and won't reopen until "at least 10am" • Glasgow Airport has reported disruption to some flights.

9.18am GMT Rail disruption latest Back on the railways, and National Rail says it hopes to run "as near a normal service as possible", but warns that routes on five different franchises will be disrupted today. In Wales, there are delays of 20 minutes between Bridgend and Cardiff, while Greater Anglia says its services are running slower because of the snow. And as reported at 8.16am , South West Trains are not running the following services: Ascot to Ash Vale, Virginia Water to Weybridge, Salisbury to Bristol Temple Meads, and Guildford to Leatherhead National Rail's list of current disruption is here: Service disruptions And here are links to the various companies: Yorkshire snow greets Tour de France officials From a chilly Leeds, our Northern editor Helen Pidd reports a 'light dusting' overnight. She emails: I stayed over in Leeds last night after attending the gala dinner to celebrate Yorkshire hosting next year's Tour de France. Light snow fell throughout the night but town centre traffic appears to be flowing freely at the moment. Here 's the view from my hotel window, which shows the temperature gauge on the Yorkshire Post building at 0 decrees Celsius.

Leeds, 18 January 2013 Photograph: Helen Pidd Helen adds: Tour de France Delegates and foreign journalists are set to drive the Yorkshire legs if the bike race later on - it could be a slow journey. Heavy snow is expected to spread north throughout the county today. 8.46am GMT School's out for winter The weekend is starting early for hundreds of thousands of school children, whose schools are closing today because of the bad weather. Around 100 schools were expected to shut in Wales ( list of lists ), while more than 50 are closing their doors in Oxfordshire today ( list ) (where snow has also begun falling in the last 30 minutes). Many schools in the West Midlands are also closed - list here . Some are remaining open for pupils to sit A-level exams though - so do check (and good luck to anyone taking an exam) 8.37am GMT 8.16am GMT Transport disruption roundup (1) The snow, and the prospect of more to come, has already hit transport links.

Here's an early round-up: • Eurostar has cancelled four services - the 6.50am and 2.04pm London to Brussels trains and the 8.52am and a 5.56pm Brussels to London trains. • South West Trains have cancelled services between Ascot and Ash Vale, between Virginia Water and Weybridge, between Salisbury and Bristol Temple Meads and Guildford and Leatherhead • Train services between Ely and Norwich are being delayed by "a problem at a level crossing" caused by the snow • In South Wales, several A roads have been closed along with the M4 between J26-27. • "Hazardous conditions" have been reported on the A4136 in Brierley in Gloucestershire and also on the A4151 in Littledean. • The A35 in Dorset has been closed after a lorry jack-knifed in snow, the BBC reports. 8.08am GMT M4 shut at Bridgend as Wales hit Wales has taken the brunt of the snow thus far.

The rare "red warning" warning issued for parts of South Wales means people should avoid all non-essential journeys in the area. The M4 motorway has been closed in both directions at Bridgend, between Junction 36 and Junction 37 in both directions due to the snow. Cars are being diverted via the A48, and there are reports of stationary cars on the motorway there now. 8.01am GMT Heavy snow to blanket parts of Britain Forecasters believe that up to 30 cm of snow could fall on parts of the UK today. Here's the latest report from the Press Association: Britain's transport network could be brought to its knees today as heavy snow is expected to blanket the UK. Much of the UK has woken up to a thick covering of snow, and up to 12in (30cm) could fall on higher ground. Travel companies have warned of widespread travel disruptions, and train firms have put out revised timetables. Southern, Greater Anglia, South West Trains and the Eurostar are all running amended services on a number of routes or with speed restrictions because of the snow.

Gritters have been out in force, and the Highways Agency has issued an amber alert, advising motorists to take extra care and check weather forecasts before they travel. Weather experts warned it would be "bitterly cold" in England today, with temperatures likely to remain below zero. Most of the UK is likely to be covered with between five and 10cm of snow. 7.49am GMT Britain braced for snow chaos Good morning. Britain is braced for disruption with parts of the country expected to see their heaviest snowfall in years. The west of the country has already been hit -- with the Met Office issuing a rare Red Alert warning for parts of Wales. With snowfall expected to sweep east across Britain in the next few hours, forecasters are warning of blizzard conditions. Some transport links have already been hit, and hundreds of schools are expected to be closed today across the country. We'll be tracking the developments through the day. Please let us know how the snow is affecting you - in the comments below, or you could email me at graeme.wearden@guardian.co.uk or via Twitter at @graemewearden . Updated

Question: Travelling north along the M1 motorway, which county would you enter as you left Hertfordshire?
Answer: Bedfordshire