Thursday 4PM Latest on the Beast of the East...
* All schools in Largs, Fairlie, Skelmorlie and Millport to close on Friday 
* All Junior football matches postponed for this weekend.
* Stagecoach 585 buses still running between Largs and Ayr, but not running to Greenock.

Largs Academy has officially closed due to the snowy conditions experienced in the area this morning.

All schools in North Ayrshire will be closed on Thursday. 

Heavy snow hit the north coast including Largs, Fairlie and West Kilbride areas on Wednesday morning as 'The Beast from the East' brought arctic like conditions to local roads.

Stagecoach buses are now terminating their buses at Ardrossan due to the weather. According to the ScotRail app, all trains between Largs and Glasgow Central are cancelled for the rest of the evening, and till at least 10am on Thursday morning

Cars are stuck on the hill between the entrance to Pencil View and Rockland Park. People are out pushing their vehicles up the hill, but it has led to a tailback as far as the north of Fairlie. See tailback picture by Jon Robinson below.

Largs and Millport Weekly News:

Jon said: "It is a big tailback and very slow moving."

Spectacular photos and footage of snow drifting on the entrance to West Kilbride was shared on social media, see picture below, and there were reports of difficulties in the upper roads of Largs including Holehouse Road and Glenacre Drive, while even the Isle of Cumbrae also had a sprinkling of snow.

Largs and Millport Weekly News:

At 11am, it was reported on social media that Ferry Road in Millport is impassible due to the snow. Islanders are advised to use the coastal route.

A yellow snow warning remains in place for Largs and North Ayrshire until 11.55pm tonight. 

The Met Office state: "Heavy snow showers are expected during today. There is the potential for travel delays on roads, with some stranded vehicles and passengers, as well as delays or cancellations to rail and air travel. Some rural communities could become cut off. Power cuts may also occur and other services, such as mobile phones, may be affected."

Due to severe weather all day centres for older people will be closed today in North Ayrshire. Outreach visits will be undertaken by staff.

Largs recycling site on the A760 has been closed due to adverse weather conditions. NAC say that bin collections in the North Coast area cannot go ahead today due to adverse weather conditions. This applies to all bin types. Please leave your bin out as the council aim to collect these later in the week, weather permitting.

There has also been disruption to the Cal Mac ferry service between Cumbrae and Largs on Wednesday afternoon. Cal Mac said: "This service will be reviewed on a sailing by sailing basis due to heavy snow showers."

Inverclyde Sports Centre is closed for the rest of the day and will re-assess the situation in the morning.

The Hunterston Site Stakeholders quarterly meeting at The Waterside in West Kilbride for Thursday has been cancelled, and will next meet in June.

Traffic was moving slowly through Fairlie, see picture below.

Largs and Millport Weekly News: