Road and rail disruptions, closures and power outages:
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice extending into Monday, with commuters and residents warned that temperatures will still be low.
On Sunday, key roads in the region were severely affected.
An aerial shot of Durham Cathedral (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA) The A1(M) saw significant delays and closures due to ice and snow, including at Bowburn, where traffic was sat for around an hour, while the A66 between Scotch Corner and Penrith was closed in both directions by Highways, due to the level of snow on the major A-road.
Other rural roads, including Ormesby Bank in Middlesbrough, Sherburn Hospital Bank in Durham, and part of the A66 in Darlington were closed at various points, due to stranded or broken down vehicles.
Crashes due to the snow and ice were also reported across the region, including slow-moving traffic on the A19 southbound near Easington, Peterlee, and Shotton, and a rolled-over truck at Holystone Roundabout on the A19 southbound in Newcastle.
A drone image taken over Darlington of Cemetery Lane and Hummersknott Avenue looking towards the town centre (Image: PETER REIMANN) On the roads, councils in North Yorkshire, County Durham, Teesside and Tyneside said that gritters will be on the roads at the start of the week.
A spokesperson for Durham County Council said: “Our gritters continue to treat High Pennines and Low Pennines Priority 1 and 2 routes on Sunday and into Monday.
“They will also continue to treat Central Priority 1 and 2 routes until midnight (Monday 6 January), and will be on standby from this time.”
The Angel of the North in Gateshead (Image: NORTH NEWS) At Newcastle and Teesside Airport, worries about the runways were raised at the start of Sunday, but disruption to scheduled flights was “kept to a minimum” according to both airports.
Train services were similarly disrupted, with cancellations on key routes such as Darlington to Bishop Auckland, while the East Coast Main Line had significant disruption.
LNER confirmed delays and cancellations across its network, with tickets for Sunday being honoured on Monday.
An aerial shot of the Angel of the North looking over the North East (Image: NORTH NEWS) Meanwhile, hundreds of households in County Durham were left without power as snowfall caused outages in areas including Easington Lane, West Auckland, and Brampton.
Northern PowerGrid reported teams were working to resolve the issues, but some areas remained without electricity throughout the day.
Several popular attractions announced closures on Sunday due to safety concerns, with Beamish Museum revealing that it had taken the “difficult decision” to close, while Hopetown Darlington closed at 3pm, citing public safety as the reason.
A man skis down a hill in Durham City (Image: PA MEDIA) Rural communities were among the hardest hit, with reports of isolation and treacherous conditions.
Snow depths of up to 40cm were recorded in higher altitudes, particularly in the Durham Dales and hilly parts of County Durham, North Yorkshire and Northumberland.
In the coming days, emergency services and community groups are urging residents to check on vulnerable neighbours and ensure access to essential supplies.
A snow plough clears roads for motorists on the A69 in Throckley, Newcastle, on Sunday (Image: NORTH NEWS) The Met Office’s warning for snow and ice is in effect until noon on Monday, with icy patches expected to create hazardous conditions on untreated roads, pavements, and cycle paths.
Travellers are advised to check updates and avoid unnecessary journeys, as temperatures could reach as low as minus three.
Newcastle covered in a blanket of snow on Sunday morning (Image: NORTH NEWS) Further snowfall is anticipated in the Pennines and North York Moors on Monday morning, although it is expected to become sporadic as the day progresses.
As the region braces for more cold weather, councils, including Durham County Council, North Yorkshire Council and Darlington Borough Council say they are working to address “ongoing issues”.
The Environment Agency issued 200 flood alerts across the country on Sunday afternoon – but the most severe of these were in the South of England.