SNOWY conditions described as “the first taste of winter” have caused school closures, train cancellations and road delays in parts of the UK after severe weather warnings were issued.

The Met Office put three yellow warnings for snow and ice in place in the North, the Midlands, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – advising that vehicles could be stranded, power cuts may occur and rural areas could be cut off.

The yellow warning for England has been issued until 11am today (November 19), with the snow and precipitation expected to stop in parts of the West Midlands around Midday.

The Met Office has issued a further snow and ice warning for parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales for tomorrow, but not England. A number of schools in England and Wales were closed on Tuesday due to the conditions.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued the first amber cold weather health alert of the season, warning conditions could be dangerous for vulnerable people, including the elderly.

The amber warning covers the east and north of England, the Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber, with yellow alerts coming into place for the South East, South West and London at 8am on Tuesday, lasting until 6pm on Saturday.