AS the Beast from the East shows little signs of making a quick disappearing act snow problems are going to continue to persist throughout the area today with no part of Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly, Crossgates, Hill of Beath, Kelty, Lumphinnans, Benarty or Cardenden going to avoid these.

Although the Red warning has passed, the Met Office has extended the Amber warning (be aware) for snow until 10am today Friday 2 March.

As more snow and high winds are expected, drifting will continue to make travel very difficult.

Fife Council is working hard to clear roads and the priority continues to be ploughing snow routes as well as primary and secondary routes.

The council will follow advice from Traffic Scotland and Police Scotland and urges all residents to do the same and to stay safe.

All schools will remain closed on Friday and the local authority expects widespread disruption to other council services and facilities to continue. Fifedirect text/email alerts will be sent as schools re-open and you can check the status of facilities at www.fifedirect.org.uk/closures

Fife Cultural Trust, Fife Sports & Leisure Trust and Fife Resource Solutions facilities are closed at this time.

Cowdenbeath's match with Edinburgh City is already postponed and the junior and amateur cards are all cancelled.

The public should check their websites for the latest news about libraries, leisure centres etc re-opening.

The council’s contact centre will continue to operate an emergency service only until Monday.

Residents are asked to go online to check for advice and ask questions. Please only call a council number if absolutely necessary, to make sure the most vulnerable people and those in emergency situations can get through on the phone.

Non-essential appointments and visits are likely to be cancelled.

This very extreme weather is unusual this late in the season but the council assures they have enough salt (6000T) and grit (1000T) stocks to see them through this weather pattern.

This morning 24 gritters and ploughs are on the roads; 18 JCBs and 39 tractors clearing snow as well as over 150 staff from parks and waste services out helping to clear roads and paths.

BEAR Scotland look after the motorways and trunk roads. For more on the council’s gritting/snow clearance policy see www.fifedirect.org.uk/wintergritting

Bin collections have been cancelled for today Friday as conditions became too dangerous for the bin lorries to be on the road. They aim to start timetabled collections again on Monday but unfortunately won’t have the capacity to reschedule missed collections.

Meals on wheels managed to deliver to most clients on Thursday and Services are in touch with people that the team were unable to reach.

Fife Council’s Chief Executive Steve Grimmond said: “Conditions continue to be challenging for everyone. I’d like to say well done and thank you to all the staff who are putting in huge effort to combat the snow and help those in most need.

“I’d also like to thank all the members of the public who have been offering help and resources. There’s great community spirit across Fife.

"We can’t always take up such offers of help for practical or legal reasons - particularly when we’re delivering services to vulnerable clients – but I’d urge everyone to check on friends, relatives and neighbours where you can. Everyone can play their part in their own street and neighbourhood.

“We’ll keep clearing snow and gritting priority routes but, with wind and snow undoing some of the hard work, it will take some time for conditions on the roads to improve and delay us moving in to clear residential areas.”

The weather is going to continue to cause problems this weekend before it eases.

Said a Met Office spokesperson: "Snow showers will continue to bring variable snow cover with the strong easterly wind continuing to bring showers, some heavy, into Fife and Tayside."

The yellow warning status is likely to persist over most of the weekend although it is expected that temperatures will climb to 4 degrees C by Sunday when any showers are more likely to fall as rain.