UPDATE:Monmouthshire’s chief executive Paul Matthews has warned residents to be ready for an escalation in bad weather as the county remains on red alert until 3am on Friday. “ Everything is being managed well at this point but be ready for escalation,” said Mr Matthews as police warned residents to only venture where essential. Abergavenny and Monmouth Markets will be closed on Friday, March 2 due to the adverse weather conditions. Information about Saturday opening will be available tomorrow afternoon. UPDATE: ABERGAVENNY’s main Post Office is also closed today as a result of the weather. Monmouthshire residents have been warned to stay at home and not travel as the bad weather sets in

All Monmouthshire County Council Hubs and Libraries will be closed from 1pm today due to the weather conditions with a decision due later about tomorrow.

The council’s Contact Centre will be running as normal all day 9am to 5pm, although it warns that there may be longer waiting times than normal due to volumes of calls.

As the weather continues to deteriorate the Met Office issued a red warning for the area. A red alert warning anticipates the most severe conditions, with the potential to seriously disrupt travel and day-to-day life.

The Met Office say their issuing of the highest weather alert means "extreme weather is expected".

With all of the area’s schools closed for the next two days Aneurin Bevan University Health Board announced that all outpatient appointments scheduled for this afternoon (Thurs 1st March 2018) have now been cancelled.

All outpatient appointments scheduled for tomorrow (Fri 2nd March 2018) have also been cancelled.

“For day surgery and elective inpatients who have their procedures booked for today and tomorrow, if they are not already at the hospital, they should not travel as these procedures will also be cancelled,” said a spokesman for the health board

“These decisions have been taken due to a Red Weather Warning that has been issued and these decisions have been made in the interest of the safety of patients and the public.”