MORE snow is expected to blight the North East as the wintry weather continues to the first day of Spring.
The Met Office has issued a number of yellow weather warnings across the region urging people to be prepared for disruption.
Snow blanketed parts of Durham yesterday, and more is expected today and later in the week.
Charlie Powell, a forecaster for the Met Office, said the yellow weather warnings would run through this morning, but that the region would experience a day or two clear of snow before it returned again towards the end of the week.
“Overnight there will have been around two to three centimetres, and you may see up to five centimetres on some of the highest points above 200m,” he said.
“Snow showers will ease and it will start to disappear in the evening, with most disappearing by Wednesday afternoon. Temperatures will still be relatively cold, with three to four degrees centigrade in Newcastle and warmer further south,” he said.
But tonight, Mr Powell said, temperatures will drop and the region will experience a chilly night.
“Clear spells will continue into Thursday, but it will be a chilly night with low temperatures around minus two degrees,” he said.
“It may be frosty and there may be one or two icy patches.
“Thursday morning looks pretty good, but there will be some showers to start the day and winds will start to increase from a south-east direction ahead of a band of rain.
“It will still be quite chilly, probably not going to be more than five degrees.
“As the rain moves in, it will hit clear air and start to fall as snow.
“On Friday there is a yellow alert for further snowfall across to Saturday,” he said.
Mr Powell admitted there is some uncertainty about the end of the week.
However, he added that it is still expected to be wintry and windy. Motorists are being advised to take care on the roads.
Transport delays were reported as police closed the A66 across the Pennines between Bowes, County Durham, and Stainmore, Cumbria, because of heavy snowfall.
The bad weather will mean the MV Danio cargo ship, which ran aground on Saturday on rocks near a lighthouse on the Farne Islands, will stay put for at least a week.
