Slow going as snow covers West Yorkshire - six more hours of wintry weather to follow

West Yorkshire woke to a blanket of snow this morning, with another six hours of wintry weather to come.

Commuters faced rush hour misery as the weather caused tailbacks on main roads into the city.

A combination of snow and a series of minor accidents slowed traffic on the M62 and M621, and conditions were said to be “hazardous” on the cross-Pennine stretch of the M62.

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There were also major delays to flights at Leeds Bradford Airport, which was temporarily closed.

Six centimetres of snow fell overnight at the airport, with gritters and ploughs being used this morning to clear runways and surrounding roads.

Pool Bank and the A658 Harrogate Road at Pool in Wharfedale were among the local roads hardest hit by the weather.

Bus firm First West Yorkshire said delays were likely through the morning rush hour across much of the county due to “slow and hazardous” conditions.

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Trains between Sheffield and London were affected by delays, but most early local services were running normally.

Highways England has issued an amber “be aware” alert for the North and Midlands in anticipation of the heavy rain turning to sleet and snow overnight.

They warned drivers to check the forecast before setting out and ensure they have a winter kit in their vehicles.

The wintry weather is expected to impact the M6 and A66 in the North West, and the A66, M62 and A628 in the Pennines.

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The AA said it had experienced its busiest day of the year so far with more than 10,000 calls. Many drivers had flat batteries and other cold weather-related problems.

The Met Office have this morning updated a severe weather warning and forecast that although the snow will be worst over high ground it will also fall at lower levels.

The warning states: “There is the potential for 5-10 cm of snow to settle to low levels over parts of Yorkshire and down into the northeast Midlands, though with a good deal of uncertainty about this. Please be aware of the potential for difficult driving conditions in some areas.”