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| Wales snow: Schools, roads and airport closed | Wales snow: Schools, roads and airport closed |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| There is disruption to travel and more than 1,200 schools are closed as snow falls heavily across Wales. | |
| Roads are closed or treacherous, Cardiff Airport is shut and power cuts are affecting thousands of households. | Roads are closed or treacherous, Cardiff Airport is shut and power cuts are affecting thousands of households. |
| Some 10,000 customers are without power in parts of south Wales because of faults caused by the weather. | Some 10,000 customers are without power in parts of south Wales because of faults caused by the weather. |
| Areas most affected are Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, with Swansea, Bridgend, Cardiff and the south Wales valleys hit too. | |
| The main radio transmitter for Carmarthenshire also has power problems leaving over 300,000 people without services. | |
| The Met Office issued a rare red warning warning of snow and blizzards on Thursday. | The Met Office issued a rare red warning warning of snow and blizzards on Thursday. |
| The warning, which advises all non-essential travel be avoided, applies to the south eastern side of the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains. | The warning, which advises all non-essential travel be avoided, applies to the south eastern side of the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains. |
| This will remain until 21:00 GMT on Friday, with up to 30cm of snow expected on higher ground. | This will remain until 21:00 GMT on Friday, with up to 30cm of snow expected on higher ground. |
| Snow began to fall in the Heads of the Valleys area at 02:30 GMT and there is disruption to road travel with warnings of hazardous condition in many areas. | Snow began to fall in the Heads of the Valleys area at 02:30 GMT and there is disruption to road travel with warnings of hazardous condition in many areas. |
| The M4 was closed by police in both directions between junctions 36 and 37 at Bridgend but later reopened. | The M4 was closed by police in both directions between junctions 36 and 37 at Bridgend but later reopened. |
| Meanwhile, hundreds of schools have closed, including all schools in Neath Port Talbot, nearly all in Torfaen and most in Swansea. | Meanwhile, hundreds of schools have closed, including all schools in Neath Port Talbot, nearly all in Torfaen and most in Swansea. |
| The Met Office added that strong south-easterly winds could also cause severe drifting of lying snow "and severe disruption". | The Met Office added that strong south-easterly winds could also cause severe drifting of lying snow "and severe disruption". |
| A band of snow is spreading across much of Wales during Friday morning, lasting through the afternoon and evening. | A band of snow is spreading across much of Wales during Friday morning, lasting through the afternoon and evening. |
| There is an amber warning covering most of the country, which means around 5 to 10cm (2 to 4 in) of snow is expected. | There is an amber warning covering most of the country, which means around 5 to 10cm (2 to 4 in) of snow is expected. |
| Some train routes have been affected with Arriva Trains Wales warning of disruption to local services to Cardiff, Llandudno, Ninian Park and Tondu. | Some train routes have been affected with Arriva Trains Wales warning of disruption to local services to Cardiff, Llandudno, Ninian Park and Tondu. |
| There are also reported to be signalling problems at Ystrad Mynach which are due to snow. | There are also reported to be signalling problems at Ystrad Mynach which are due to snow. |
| "Whilst we are closely monitoring the weather situation which may result in short notice delays and cancellations, we are working very hard to run services as close to our normal timetable as possible," said a spokesperson. | "Whilst we are closely monitoring the weather situation which may result in short notice delays and cancellations, we are working very hard to run services as close to our normal timetable as possible," said a spokesperson. |
| First Great Western is also warning of possible moderate disruption to services in the Cardiff to Bristol area on Friday morning. | First Great Western is also warning of possible moderate disruption to services in the Cardiff to Bristol area on Friday morning. |
| No flights are departing or arriving at Cardiff Airport because of snow on the runway. | No flights are departing or arriving at Cardiff Airport because of snow on the runway. |
| "At the present time we're working to clear the runway and will review the situation at 10am," said commercial manager Dave Hodges. | "At the present time we're working to clear the runway and will review the situation at 10am," said commercial manager Dave Hodges. |
| Passengers are advised to check the Cardiff Airport website for updates. | Passengers are advised to check the Cardiff Airport website for updates. |
| Cardiff Bus said it was planning to run services as normally as possible but warned of some alterations to the normal timetable. | Cardiff Bus said it was planning to run services as normally as possible but warned of some alterations to the normal timetable. |
| There is also some disruption to First Cymru Buses in west Wales, while Stagecoach Buses said none of its services are operating. | |
| Services in Newport are also affected and Traveline says no buses are operating in Powys. | |
| Meanwhile, the Welsh Ambulance Service (WAS) asked for their service to be used "sensibly" and only for "genuine cases". | Meanwhile, the Welsh Ambulance Service (WAS) asked for their service to be used "sensibly" and only for "genuine cases". |
| Cardiff and Vale University Health Board says all routine outpatient clinics have been cancelled at the University Hospital of Wales and University Hospital Llandough. | Cardiff and Vale University Health Board says all routine outpatient clinics have been cancelled at the University Hospital of Wales and University Hospital Llandough. |
| Urgent outpatient services - including acute renal, acute paediatric and acute oncology clinics - will go ahead as planned with support from the Wales Ambulance Service Trust. | Urgent outpatient services - including acute renal, acute paediatric and acute oncology clinics - will go ahead as planned with support from the Wales Ambulance Service Trust. |
| Patients are being assured their appointments will be "rescheduled as soon as practicable". | Patients are being assured their appointments will be "rescheduled as soon as practicable". |
| All outpatient appointments in the Cwm Taf Health Board area have also been cancelled due to the weather. | All outpatient appointments in the Cwm Taf Health Board area have also been cancelled due to the weather. |
| Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board says there will be some disruption to services, which is likely to continue over the weekend. | |
| "We will be focusing on ensuring our emergency and urgent care services are able to cope during this period and therefore will be cancelling outpatient clinics both today (Friday) and tomorrow at all our hospitals in Bridgend, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. Some planned operations will also be affected," the health board said. | |
| All campuses of the University of Glamorgan in Cardiff and the valleys are closed until Monday. Staff and students are asked to check the university website and Twitter feed for updates. | All campuses of the University of Glamorgan in Cardiff and the valleys are closed until Monday. Staff and students are asked to check the university website and Twitter feed for updates. |
| All Cardiff Metropolitan University campuses are closed and both campuses of the University of Wales, Newport will be closed on Friday for teaching. | All Cardiff Metropolitan University campuses are closed and both campuses of the University of Wales, Newport will be closed on Friday for teaching. |
| Efforts are being made to open the city campus in Newport for students wanting to use computer suites and the library. | Efforts are being made to open the city campus in Newport for students wanting to use computer suites and the library. |
| Coleg Gwent says the Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone Ebbw Vale campus is closed while the Cross Keys campus is also closed except for those taking AS and A2 exams. | Coleg Gwent says the Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone Ebbw Vale campus is closed while the Cross Keys campus is also closed except for those taking AS and A2 exams. |
| Thousands of customers are without electricity in south Wales, with Western Power customers being asked to call the emergency line on 0800 052 0400 if they are in difficulties. | Thousands of customers are without electricity in south Wales, with Western Power customers being asked to call the emergency line on 0800 052 0400 if they are in difficulties. |
| Phil Davies, of Western Power, said: "The advice is to sit tight. If you are in any difficulty ring our emergency line. We will provide as much help as we can. | Phil Davies, of Western Power, said: "The advice is to sit tight. If you are in any difficulty ring our emergency line. We will provide as much help as we can. |
| "If anybody has a particular difficulty we will do our utmost to get to them and get them back on supply." | "If anybody has a particular difficulty we will do our utmost to get to them and get them back on supply." |
| BBC weather presenter Behnaz Akhgar said the main area of concern was the south east Wales valleys and south Powys, where there is a red warning. | BBC weather presenter Behnaz Akhgar said the main area of concern was the south east Wales valleys and south Powys, where there is a red warning. |
| "This is very rare as it's a top level warning," she said. "So in those areas we could see more roads closing and becoming impassable. | "This is very rare as it's a top level warning," she said. "So in those areas we could see more roads closing and becoming impassable. |
| "There's a high risk of becoming stranded so avoid making unnecessary journeys. | "There's a high risk of becoming stranded so avoid making unnecessary journeys. |
| "There's 5-10cm expected widely, and 25-30cm in the red zone. That's a foot of snow. | "There's 5-10cm expected widely, and 25-30cm in the red zone. That's a foot of snow. |
| "There's strong south east winds gusting around 40mph so we could see some drifting and blizzards on higher ground. | "There's strong south east winds gusting around 40mph so we could see some drifting and blizzards on higher ground. |
| "The snow will turn to rain across the west. By the afternoon it will be drier in the south with the band sitting across the north." | "The snow will turn to rain across the west. By the afternoon it will be drier in the south with the band sitting across the north." |
| Have you been affected by the snow in Wales? Are you making preparations for the coming days? Please send us your comments using the form below. | Have you been affected by the snow in Wales? Are you making preparations for the coming days? Please send us your comments using the form below. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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