The first snowfall of the year has arrived in the region.
Showers of snow have begun to fall in Newcastle , Northumberland and other parts of the North East.
These are expected to die down by Thursday afternoon.
We’ve compiled a list of the essential things you need to keep in your car when the rain comes in torrent, the wind is howling, and you can’t see because of fog and snow .
We’ve asked the experts at the AA and RAC to share some survival tips.
A spokesman for the AA said the must-have items to have handy are warm clothing and a shovel.
He suggesting keeping a torch handy and not relying on light from a mobile phone.
Keeping up to date with traffic and travel information is a must, he said.
So here is your must-have list:
Ice scraper and de-icer
These are basic items but winter must-haves nonetheless.
It is a legal requirement to keep your front and rear windscreen clear of snow and ice before driving and not all cars have heated windscreens to speed up this process.
An ice scraper still needs manual effort but is effective, while a can or spray bottle of de-icer speeds up the process.
Both need to be kept in the car ahead of the return journey home - or in the event of being stranded somewhere, with the windscreen frosting over.
The right clothes - and a blanket
Motorists often feel more comfortable driving without a thick coat but you should still travel with one in the car.
A breakdown could mean a long wait with no heat, so it’s sensible to have some warm clothes to wrap up in - a big coat, gloves, a spare jumper, hat and gloves.
Not just for the driver, either. Make sure all passengers have warm clothes they can put on to help stay comfortable in freezing temperatures.
High-visibility jacket
High-visibility clothing won’t keep you warm, but it is a safety device if you need to leave the vehicle in the dark.
One of these could actually save your life and definitely should be included as one of the most important emergency items to keep in your car.
In fact, if you’re thinking of driving abroad this winter, an item of high visibility jacket clothing is required by law in some European countries, including France and Spain.
First aid kit
Don’t forget a first aid kit in a winter driving checklist to deal with minor injuries.
There is a national standard for first aid provision within motor vehicles, devised by the British Standards Institution (BSI).
A small first aid kit should include sterile cleansing wipes, washproof plasters in assorted sizes, dressings, scissors, nitrile powder-free gloves and a Revive-Aid resuscitation face shield - or similar product.
Jump start kit
Flat or dead batteries can happen to any car regardless of age and at any time, but in cold weather such problems are far more likely to occur.
Always have a set of jump start cables or jump leads in the car, which will help to get the battery going again and the car on the move - whether you get assistance from a passing fellow motorist or a roadside recovery from the RAC.
Food and drink
The prospect of being abandoned at the roadside for hours in poor weather conditions is a gloomy one - if you’re hungry it can feel far worse. And, if you have children in the car, it’s doubly worse.
Food and drink should be considered breakdown kit essentials, with a big flask of hot tea, coffee, hot chocolate or soup high up on the list.
Other things you might consider are:
• Sunglasses to counter the effects of low winter sun.
• An in-car phone charger because winter is not the time for a phone to run out of power.
• A spare fuel can because if you’re going to run out of petrol it’s going to be at the worst possible time - in winter, during a storm.
• A small tool kit to fix minor technical problems yourself
• Tyre sealant so you can do a quick fix before seeking a more permanent solution.
