Britain wakes up to snow with more to come

Heavier snow is expected during the day on Monday in central and eastern England after an initial fall overnight proved less disruptive than expected.

Some high-level roads were closed in Scotland and the Pennines but there has been little disruption to transport so far, other than airport warnings for travellers to allow extra time for their journeys.

Leeds Bradford airport, whose exposed site at Yeadon is one of the highest points locally, posted a notice of possible disruption in the early hours but removed the warning from its website at 7am, when commuter flights left as normal. Manchester airport advised travellers to make regular checks online.

The Meteorological Office has raised its cold weather action status to grade three, one below a national emergency, to alert care and health agencies and neighbours to the likelihood of elderly and vulnerable people needing help. Forecasts suggest the long-delayed winter weather is setting in for several weeks after the wet but mild conditions since mid-December.

Chris Wellings, the head of UK policy at Save the Children, said: "The poorest families will struggle to cope with this cold snap. Parents on low incomes are already having difficulty affording even basic essentials such as warm winter clothing and a hot meal every day for their children as living costs continue to rise.

"As temperatures plummet many simply don't have the money to heat their homes. The government must ensure that the poorest families can afford to keep warm."

Snowfalls could reach 10cm (4ins) in parts of Lincolnshire and the north-east of England, and the Met Office said: "This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services."

The forecast suggests further but more modest snowfalls during the rest of the week, which will also see prolonged cold but sunny spells.

The pattern of conflicting cold and milder Atlantic fronts is complicated and the Met Office said: "There remains some uncertainty in the details throughout this period. However, on the whole it should remain on the cold and settled side across many parts of the United Kingdom, with a good deal of dry and frosty weather, especially for central and eastern areas.

"There will also be some sleet and snow on occasions, with central and eastern areas most likely to be at risk. Also there will be an ongoing risk of icy stretches overnight, and freezing fog may also be an issue during the cold and clearer nights, which may be slow to clear by day. Some milder conditions and more persistent rain and hill snow may spread into western areas on occasions from next weekend onwards."

Nick Prebble, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, said snow was unlikely to exceed 5cms (2ins) in most of England, with temperatures reaching 8C (46F) in the west of England and Wales. Scotland is expected to get a "light dusting" on top of lying snow that fell over the weekend. Overnight temperatures are likely to fall to -8C (17.6F) degrees by Wednesday night.

Snow is expected to turn into rainfall in western and southern areas and eight flood warnings are in place, six in the south-west, and 53 flood alerts, 28 in the south-east and 19 in the south-west. The AA has organised extra patrols to deal with an estimated 56,000 breakdowns, based on a survey that suggests three-quarters of drivers have been lulled into a false sense of security by the long mild spell.

The Highways Agency has declared an amber, or second level, alert but is more bullish than for years about snow and ice preparations, with 500 "state-of-the-art winter vehicles" ready to go into action. A spokesman said: "We have reviewed salt stock levels and taken action where needed to enhance our resilience and we have again established a reserve salt stock to help ensure that there is enough salt to deal with severe winter.

"Our roads will be treated whenever there is a risk of ice or snow. However, even when roads have been treated, drivers should still take care, especially on stretches where the local road layout or landscape means there could be a greater risk of ice forming. Road users across England are also advised to check the latest weather forecast and road conditions before they travel."