It come as the Met Office issued a yellow warning of winds and snow for several parts of the UK this Easter weekend. The warning covers part of the North of England, stretching from Liverpool to Newcastle, as well as Scotland, Northern Ireland and North Wales. Gusts of up to 90mph may be possible in the west of Scotland, while wind speeds could reach 60-70mph in other exposed places.

Explaining about the closure, the National Highways said: “Road users travelling across the Pennines are advised to plan ahead and consider alternate routes such as the A69.”

An amber weather warning is also in place and extends across the region. Durham Police say the major A-road will be inaccessible to high-sided vehicles at 7pm and all other vehicles at 9pm between Bowes and Brough tonight (Saturday, April 4) due to the storm.

A police spokesperson said: “The A66 Trans-Pennine between Bowes and Brough will be closed both ways from 9pm this evening (April 4) owing to Storm Dave – this is due to the high wind gusts – it will likely close to high sided vehicles sooner due to the same.

“It is worth checking ahead of any scheduled journeys as Storm Dave is likely to cause transport related issues over the next couple of days.”

RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “The arrival of Storm Dave is set to make driving conditions across the north and west of the UK this Easter particularly challenging.

“While we expect leisure traffic volumes to be slightly lower on Saturday and Sunday compared with the rest of the bank holiday, there will still be millions of people on the roads visiting friends and family.

“Drivers shouldn’t underestimate the impact of the very strong winds that are forecast.

“We recommend taking extra care on exposed, higher routes and being especially cautious when overtaking high‑sided vehicles, as the buffeting effect can catch some people out. Slowing down and keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel are both vital in these conditions.”