The Met Office has issued a 42-hour for snow and ice in several areas of the UK as winter closes in.

warnings are in place between Sunday November 17 and Tuesday November 19. Up to 20cm of snow is possible on higher ground on Monday and Tuesday, with a small chance of up to 10cm of snow settling at lower levels, which could prove disruptive, the said.

The warning covers much of southern and north-east England, parts of Yorkshire, and parts of the north-west of England, including Lancashire and Cumbria, and is in force from 10am on Monday until 10am on Tuesday. A separate warning for snow and ice is in place in northern Scotland from 4pm on Sunday until 11am on Monday.

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There is a small chance that power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected. There may also be a small chance that untreated pavements and cycle paths become impassable. The weather agency also warned of a slight chance that some rural communities could become cut off and that bus and train services may be delayed or cancelled, with some road closures and longer journey times.

A statement on the Met Office's website says: "During Sunday, showers will turn increasingly wintry through the day with hail, sleet and some snow. Little snow is likely to settle at low levels by day, but through the evening and overnight, 1 to 3 cm may accumulate in some places, whilst 5 to 10 cm is possible on high ground above 300 metres by Monday morning.

"Meanwhile, as temperatures fall overnight, ice is likely to form on untreated surfaces."

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