Snow leaves travellers facing further severe disruption
Snow leaves travellers facing further severe disruption
(about 1 hour later)
Travellers across parts of the UK face further misery as airports, roads and rail continue to be badly hit by snow.
Travellers across parts of the UK face further misery as airports, roads and rail continue to be badly hit by snow.
Gatwick Airport - expected to reopen on Thursday morning - will remain closed until at least 0600 GMT Friday, with another 15cm of snow falling overnight.
Gatwick Airport - expected to reopen on Thursday morning - will remain closed until at least 0600 GMT Friday, with another 15cm of snow falling overnight.
Southern trains has suspended its services and Southeastern is running an emergency timetable.
Southern trains has suspended its services and Southeastern is running an emergency timetable.
Severe snow warnings have been issued for Scotland and north-east, eastern and south-east and south-west England.
Severe snow warnings have been issued for Scotland as well as eastern and southern England.
In Scotland the warnings apply to Grampian, Strathclyde, Central, Tayside and Fife, and South West, Lothian and Borders.
In Scotland the warnings apply to Grampian, Strathclyde, Central, Tayside and Fife, and South West, Lothian and Borders.
Snow has been particularly heavy around Gatwick, with some 25cm of snow recorded in some places - 15cm of this falling overnight.
Snow has been particularly heavy around Gatwick, with some 25cm recorded in some places - 15cm of this falling overnight.
A Gatwick spokesman said: "We are doing everything we can to resume operations, however conditions have deteriorated considerably. Our teams are working around the clock to make the runway safe for aircraft to use and get our airlines and passengers flying again."
A Gatwick spokesman said: "We are doing everything we can to resume operations. However, conditions have deteriorated considerably. Our teams are working around the clock to make the runway safe for aircraft to use and get our airlines and passengers flying again."
Train troubles
Train troubles
Operators hope Edinburgh airport will reopen at 1000 GMT on Thursday, but Robin Hood Airport near Doncaster will not be open until midday at the earliest.
Operators hope Edinburgh airport will reopen at 1000 GMT on Thursday, but Robin Hood Airport near Doncaster will not be open until midday at the earliest.
Police were advising people not to travel unless absolutely necessary - especially in the worst-hit areas of Scotland, Yorkshire, Derbyshire and south-east England.
Police in Kent advised freight traffic not to enter the county unless absolutely necessary as gale force winds are forecast. Some roads in the west and north of the county were impassable due to snow and ice.
In Wales, the Royal Mail says snow and ice could hit mail deliveries and collections in parts of four postcode areas - LL, LD, SY and SA. The postcodes cover north Wales from Anglesey to Wrexham, parts of Powys and Ceredigion and south-west Wales including Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
On the trains, passengers on one early evening service to Brighton had to sleep in carriages overnight.
On the trains, passengers on one early evening service to Brighton had to sleep in carriages overnight.
Half of Eurostar's services between London and Brussels on Thursday have been cancelled, as have seven out of 17 services each way between London and Paris.
The Association of Train Operating Companies said rail operators and Network Rail were "doing all they can to keep trains moving and get people to where they need to be".
In London, the Tube network is running but there are severe delays on the Circle, District, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan lines, with severe delays also reported on the Overground.
And in Wales, the Royal Mail says snow and ice could hit mail deliveries and collections in parts of four postcode areas - LL, LD, SY and SA.
The postcodes cover north Wales from Anglesey to Wrexham, parts of Powys and Ceredigion and south west Wales including Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
Motoring nightmares
About 100 drivers spent the night at South Anston Methodist chapel near Sheffield, after being stranded on the A57 since Tuesday evening.
Police were advising people not to travel unless absolutely necessary - especially in the worst-hit areas of Scotland, Yorkshire, Derbyshire and south-east England.
Police in Kent advised freight traffic not to enter the county unless absolutely necessary as gale force winds are forecast. Some roads in the west and north of the county were impassable due to snow and ice.
Police say they are increasingly concerned about fell walker Gwenda Merriot, 60, from Wiltshire, who was last seen in Ambleside in the Lake District on Wednesday morning. Heavy snowfall was forecast for the area overnight.
Police say they are increasingly concerned about fell walker Gwenda Merriot, 60, from Wiltshire, who was last seen in Ambleside in the Lake District on Wednesday morning. Heavy snowfall was forecast for the area overnight.
More than 250,000 Scottish children had a day off on Wednesday - about 40% of all those of school age - many for the third consecutive day, with a third of councils closing all their schools.
More than 250,000 children in Scotland had a day off on Wednesday - about 40% of all those of school age - many for the third consecutive day, with a third of councils closing all their schools.
Low temperatures
More than 4,000 schools were closed in England on Thursday.
Some local authorities have told parents that schools will remain closed for the rest of the week. In total, more than 1,500 of 2,722 schools were shut.
One of the worst-affected areas of England is South Yorkshire, where snowfall of up to 30cm (12in) brought parts of the county to a standstill.
One of the worst affected areas of England is South Yorkshire, where snowfall of up to 30cm (12in) brought parts of the county to a standstill.
Overnight, temperatures hit lows of -11 in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and -14 in the north-western Highlands.
Overnight, temperatures hit lows of -11 in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and -14 in the north-western Highlands.
BBC weather forecaster Tomasz Schafernaker said there was 1m (3ft) of snow across parts of north-east England.
There could be up to 30cm of snow in southern England by the end of Thursday. There will also be more snow showers in north-east England, he said.
On Thursday night, temperatures of up to -25C (-13F) to -30C (-22F) in some parts of Scotland are forecast.
Have you been stranded by the snow? Have your travel plans been disrupted by the weather? Send us your pictures and comments using the form below.
Have you been stranded by the snow? Have your travel plans been disrupted by the weather? Send us your pictures and comments using the form below.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you canupload here.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If you have a large file you canupload here.
