Schools and University College Isle of Man will open as normal this morning following a review of overnight weather conditions.

The Isle of Man Government said its Strategic Coordinating Group met earlier today to assess the situation after changeable weather overnight and concluded it was safe for schools to open.

School buses are expected to run as normal.

However, the update comes as the island is placed under a new weather warning issued by the Ronaldsway Met Office, with below-freezing temperatures expected to persist across the island until midday on Tuesday, 6 January.

Issued on Monday afternoon, the Met Office alert has warned that adverse conditions are likely to affect roads and footpaths, with any remaining snow and slushy patches expected to refreeze, creating widespread icy stretches on untreated surfaces.

While some areas have seen sunshine today leading to a brief thaw, road surface temperatures are forecast to fall below freezing again towards dusk, making driving hazardous.

Cloud cover is expected to increase overnight as winds turn westerly, allowing temperatures to slowly recover and bringing a more general thaw by Tuesday morning.

The government has warned there are already icy patches in some areas, including within some school grounds, and is urging people to take care while travelling.

Drivers are advised to allow extra time for journeys and to treat all untreated roads and pavements as potentially dangerous, particularly during early morning and evening hours when ice is most likely to form.