Severe weather warning for snow issued as wintry conditions continue

A severe weather warning for snow has been issued as wintry conditions continue to affect much of the UK.

The Met Office has put out a yellow alert for snow on high ground above 300 metres in Wales overnight and into Thursday morning.

Forecasters are warning that some roads and railways are likely to be affected, with longer journey times for travellers.

The warning, which covers much of southern and central Wales, is currently in place from 4am to 11am on Thursday.

Rain, sleet and snow are expected to affect driving conditions on Thursday morning, particularly in Wales and the West Midlands.

A chilly Wednesday night is predicted, with temperatures set to drop just above or below zero degrees in several parts of the country.

The Met Office said frost and ice will form and advised people to take care on icy stretches of road.

Hill snow, hail and sleet have hit many parts of the country this week as spring got off to a wintry start.

Forecasters previously said a deep area of low pressure is centred over the UK, bringing with it the potential to drive showers and produce long spells of wet and changeable weather.

A "sudden microburst" of hail and snow caused a 24-car motorway pile-up, Lancashire Police said early on Wednesday morning.

The M55 was closed in both directions but no-one was seriously injured, the force said.

The current outlook for Thursday is a day of sunshine and showers for most areas, with some places staying dry.

Showers will be most frequent in the South West, with a longer spell of rain in northern Scotland.

Friday could see rain in the west and far north, with conditions being brighter elsewhere.

The weekend will feature drizzle in the east, with brighter spells in other parts of the country and conditions becoming warmer away from the east coast.