Snow falls amid weather warnings and plunging temperatures

Motorists were alerted to icy driving conditions during today's morning rush hour after temperatures plummeted overnight.

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Met Office forecasters told of sleet and snow showers heading into the Midlands and the southwest.

It is expected to fall heavier in western and north-western parts of England.

Staffordshire County Council were among those to send out their gritters to combat the fall in temperatures.

And forecasters say freezing conditions will bite again tonight with temperatures dropping to -2C (28F).

A further yellow snow and ice warning is in place until 10am on Wednesday as sleet, snow and hail showers, some heavy, hit western areas.

The Met Office has updated another warning of snow and ice in effect from 3pm on Tuesday until 9.30am on Wednesday.

The wintry conditions are expected to continue into the weekend and there are warnings that Britain could face unusually cold weather for the rest of the month.

Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said: "There are indications of quite a prolonged cold period."

Snow is set to fall in almost every part of the country in the coming days, with this week predicted to be one of the coldest of the winter so far.

Between 1cm and 3cm of snow is expected to fall widely on Tuesday and hilly areas could see up to 5cm.

Mr Burkill said: "As we go through the next 24 to 48 hours, it's going to stay cold, and we are going to see some snow and pretty much anywhere in the country could see something."

British Airways said 70 short-haul flights to and from London's Heathrow Airport did not operate on Monday due to the weather and a further 10 have been cancelled on Tuesday.

Mr Burkill added: "The cold weather is likely to return as we go towards the weekend.

"Really much of February and perhaps even into March it is going to stay on the cold side, so temperatures generally below average, with further frosts and also the risk of rain, sleet and snow as well."