LIVE: Commuter chaos as snow forces rail closures and delays flights with more to come

Thanks for joining us on our weather live blog. 

Snow and ice may lead to difficult travelling conditions on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the Met Office has said.

The weather experts predict snow showers will develop Tuesday night and through Wednesday morning, with 1-2cm expected in some places.

Commuters should look out for icy patches on roads, pavements and cycle paths.

Longer journey times can also be expected for those traveling by road, bus, and train.

It’s still very slow on the M25 clockwise from Junction 28, A12 to Junction 31, Lakeside following an accident but all the lanes are now back open. 

The A20 Swanley Bypass is blocked Westbound at the M25 Junction because of an accident and there are severe delays.

Because of the snow, departures at Luton Airport are delayed by about an hour

On the trains, South Western Railway services are delayed by about 20 minutes between Waterloo and Surbiton because of a track problem  

Had enough snow pictures yet? Me neither.

Our travel reporters have shared the latest on traffic, trains, and road closures.

M4 delays

• In Swansea, the M4 is blocked Eastbound at Junction 47, A483 following an accident and there are long delays on the approach.
• Also on the M4, traffic is being held Eastbound at the Prince of Wales Bridge because of emergency works. 

Road closures

• Derbyshire: The Snake Pass and the Woodhead Pass are both closed
• A537 Cat and Fiddle Road is closed between Macclesfield and Buxton
• The Woodhead Road is closed between Crowden and Holmfirth in West Yorkshire
• In Greater Manchester the A628 is closed both ways at Hollingworth

Trains

• Northern services aren’t running between Halifax and Huddersfield
• East Midlands Trains can’t run between Nottingham and Worksop 

Airports

• Departures at Birmingham and Luton Airports are delayed by about an hour 

Multiple schools across the UK are closed today due to the weather.

According to local councils, more than a dozen schools, including nursery and secondary facilities, will not open for teaching today.

Parents have been advised to check online to see if their child’s school has been impacted by poor weather conditions.

Read here for the full list of school closures and delays.

A rare amber health alert for cold weather has been issued for parts of the UK as temperatures plummet.

The alert applies to the East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.

The alert – which is the first of the season – will be in place from 10am Monday until 6pm on Saturday, confirmed the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Read the full story here.

London saw small flurries this morning as commuters began their day.

Charities have warned of the impact of the cold weather on society’s most vulnerable.

Age UK says with the loss of the Winter Fuel Payment many older people are worried about turning on the heating.

 “With high energy bills and food prices it is understandable that some may think they have to cut back on food and turn their heating off, but prolonged exposure to cold temperatures can have a serious impact on an older person’s health, especially if they are already trying to manage existing illnesses,” she said.

“The cold raises blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke and breathing in cold air can also increase the risk, and impact, of serious illnesses like flu and pneumonia.”