Fresh snow spreading across much of UK

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Anamul Haque

LONDON, Nov.30 ( agencies): Fresh snow has been falling across many parts of the UK, bringing disruption to some areas not previously affected.
Some 2-5cm of snow fell across much of England and Wales overnight. The snow has eased in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but Met Office warnings over icy roads and pavements have been issued.
Hundreds of schools are closed and driving conditions hazardous, as the UK endures the earliest widespread snowfall since 1993.
The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for almost every part of the UK, bar south-west England, and western and southern parts of Wales.
Up to 5cm (2in) of snow fell in the north of England overnight, with North Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Merseyside all experiencing heavy and persistent flurries.
Birmingham and parts of Gloucestershire and Sussex also experienced snowfalls as the band of snow headed south.
Temperatures reached a low of -13C in Inverness on Tuesday morning, with forecasters predicting that daytime temperatures would struggle to get above zero due to the bitter wind chill.
The recent cold spell has hit schools, roads, and airports, and the worst-affected areas have been north-east Scotland and north-east England.
The Local Government Association said councils had increased stockpiles of salt and grit but Aberdeenshire was rationing supplies of salt.
The council said it had used 12,000 tonnes of salt so far this year, compared with 3,500 tonnes during the same period in 2009, but it expected fresh supplies to arrive later this week.
Meanwhile : The fourth strike of subway workers since August disrupted the subway service in London on Monday, causing lines partly suspended or stations closed.
The latest 24-hour protest which began on 18:30 GMT on Sunday forced about 80 stations closed and all lines at least partly suspended.