Snow traps cars and closes schools in north Wales

Schools and roads have been closed and cars trapped in drifts as snow falls across many parts of Wales.

A Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice for the whole of the country came into force at 12:00 GMT and lasts until 11:00 on Wednesday.

Snow ploughs have been dispatched to the A44 near Aberystwyth and cars have become trapped on the road.

Schools across north Wales have been forced to close while police have urged motorists to avoid Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Peter Fennemore, a van driver from Milton Keynes, has been stuck on the A44.

"With the snow, vehicles are stopped and once you stop in the snow you can't go again," he told BBC Radio Wales' Good Evening Wales.

"There's a couple of cars stuck on the kerb, there's a bus behind us that has got passengers on.

"The ploughs have been up a few times. It came down quite heavy quite quickly, that's what caught people out."

Schools in Gwynedd, including Ysgol Pennal, Ysgol Corris and Ysgol Bro Hedd Wyn, Trawsfynydd, were all forced to close their doors due to heavy snow.

Some schools in Flintshire also shut in the afternoon, including Lixwm Primary and Ysgol Rhos Helyg, as well as in Denbighshire.

Motorists are also facing hazardous conditions on the A4061 Rhigos mountain pass in Rhondda Cynon Taff.

The A470 between Dinas Mawddwy and Cross Foxes has been closed due to adverse conditions and cars have become trapped in snow along the A487 near Machynlleth, Powys.

Meanwhile, ice is expected to increase the risk of slips and falls.

BBC Wales weatherman Derek Brockway said commuters in south Wales were likely to face difficult conditions on Tuesday evening.

A band of rain arrived across Wales earlier on Tuesday and will move eastwards.

Some roads and railways are likely to be affected, with longer journey times expected for those travelling by road, bus and train.

The Met Office said: "The rain will turn quickly to snow on hills, then also to low levels in places. Three to five centimetres of snow is likely above 200m, with up to 10cm in a few places.

"A patchy covering of 1 to 2cm is possible at low levels, although some places will see no snow at all.

"As skies clear overnight, ice is likely to form on some surfaces."

Wintry showers will bring further risk of ice on Wednesday morning and there is another yellow warning for snow and ice in place between 15:00 GMT Thursday and 12:00 Friday.