Britain is braced for the coldest night of winter so far after drivers skidded off slippery roads as snow swept across large parts of the country as far south as London today.
Excited Londoners posted videos online of snowfall ahead of temperatures falling to possibly -12C (10F) tonight, breaking the current record for this winter of -10.8C (13F) which was set last Friday at Braemar in Aberdeenshire.
Snow was first seen in northern Scotland and the Western Isles late last week – but it has crept down through the likes of County Durham and Cumbria towards Birmingham and then London today.
Photographs showed car crashes across the country in the likes of Derbyshire and Scotland – while a video revealed the top layer of the sea had frozen in Whitstable, Kent, due to the sub-zero temperatures.
Met Office warnings for ice remain in place across the whole of Britain throughout today and into tomorrow as cold air moves in – with showers forecast to continue to bring rain, sleet or snow as the day progresses.
Social media users posted videos of snowy conditions in London this afternoon as the capital experienced the white stuff
An accident on the A84 today near Callander in Stirling, Scotland. The driver had a lucky escape and was unharmed
Whisky barrels covered in snow in Lanarkshire today as much of the west of Scotland is hit by snow showers
Two people hide under an umbrella in Manchester city centre today as it is hit by snowy conditions
A crashed car on Winnats Pass near Castleton in the Derbyshire today as snow falls over the Peak District
Traffic on the M60 motorway in Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester today amid blizzard conditions
Rush hour motorists take to the roads in the West Midlands as heavy snow falls across parts of Birmingham this afternoon
Snow falls in the Buckinghamshire town of Princes Risborough today as parts of Britain experience severe weather conditions
A stag embraces the cold on a road in Glen Etive today as Scotland faces sub-zero temperatures, ice, and snow
A snowplough works to keep roads clear in Glencoe, Scotland, today as parts of the UK face severe weather conditions
A dog embraces the snowy conditions in southern Scotland on a hill in Loch Lomond, north of Glasgow, today
An articulated B&M lorry heading towards Wishaw at 8am this morning crashed into a railway bridge in Motherwell
Farmhouses in Teesdale are pictured today after a band of wintry weather brought hill snow and a risk of ice to Britain
Heavy snow made for whiteout conditions today in Cumbria as the residents of Nenthead woke up to a couple of inches
However, significant flurries are expected to remain limited to higher ground. Temperatures in London and Cardiff are expected to peak at 5C (41F), while Birmingham will see highs of 3C (37F) and 2C (36F) in Edinburgh.
Temperatures have fallen to at least -7C (19F) for four nights in a row now – with -7.6C (18F) in Aboyne yesterday, -9.6C (15F) in Kinbrace on Sunday, -9.5C (15F) in Altnaharra on Saturday and -10.8C (13F) in Braemar last Friday.
Highways England warned motorists that it was snowing ‘quite heavy’ on the M62 trans-Pennine route, where efforts were under way to keep the road open using ploughs and salt.
In Cornwall, the A30 was partially blocked following two separate multi-vehicle crashes caused by a heavy hail storm at about 10am on the road at Launceston and Bodmin Moor, with icy conditions also reported.
On the M6 snow caused the closure of a sliproad at junction four overnight, but it was reopened in the early hours. Meanwhile a fleet of 32 gritters was out in south-west Scotland where Transerv described conditions as ‘Baltic’.
This graphic shows where showers were falling across Britain today as rain (dark blue), wet snow (light blue) and snow (white)
This graphic shows how a movement of the Atlantic jet stream has changed the outlook for Britain for the end of this week
A woman walks with a child through the snow falling today in Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire
A car lies in a ditch off the snowy A54 Cat and Fiddle Road near Buxton in the Derbyshire Peak District today
Cars in Saddleworth, Greater Manchester, are driven along the slippery roads after the area awoke to a layer of snow
A car waits to turn into a road as snow falls on Brodie Park at Paisley in the west central Lowlands of Scotland this morning
Footsteps in the snow in front of the white rooftops of Overwater and Nenthead in rural Cumbria this morning
Pedestrians and drivers make their way through a snow shower in the West End of Glasgow this morning
Up to an inch of snow is due to fall on high ground from the Peak District northwards and in North Wales. In Scotland, up to four inches of snow was expected overnight in the Highlands.
Met Office warnings for ice (pictured) remain in place today
Some light snow was also seen down in South East England as the wintry front moved through from the North West.
Met Office meteorologist Sophie Yeomans said: ‘Most of the country is in the colder and showery air. The snow is mainly on the hills, while for most places the showers are falling as rain and maybe a bit of sleet.
‘We’ve got some ice warnings; the weather front that has gone through has left rain on the ground, so as the air temperatures start to drop ground temperatures will be below zero and that’s giving the risk of ice across most of the UK.
‘So look out for any areas where the surfaces haven’t been treated. On untreated surfaces there’s a risk of slips and falls. There’s also a risk of some icy surfaces on any untreated roads.’
The coldest temperature last year was -14.2C (6.4F) at Faversham in Kent on February 28, while the record UK low is -27.2C (-17F), in Braemar in both February 1895 and January 1982, and Altnaharra in December 1995.
Further frosts are expected over the coming nights, while daytimes will also continue to feel very cold, with more showers expected tomorrow. Thursday is expected to be mostly dry and sunny.
But by Thursday evening, forecasters say a warm front is expected to arrive, bringing ‘rain spreading erratically eastwards, perhaps preceded by snow’.
Snow falls on the Long Walk in front of Windsor Castle in Berkshire today as the UK faces extreme conditions
A snow plough clears the road in front of vehicles driving near the Cumbrian town of Alston this morning
Snow over the white rooftops of Overwater and Nenthead in Cumbria today as wintry weather spreads across the country
A woman walks across a road as snow falls in Glasgow today, with the Met Office issuing weather warnings across Britain
Snow falls this morning on Brodie Park in Paisley, a town on the northern edge of the Gleniffer Braes in Renfrewshire
A jogger looks at his watch as he makes his way through a snow shower in the West End of Glasgow this morning
Heavy snowfall hits the West End of Glasgow today, as the spectre of a colder January takes hold of the British Isles
A view looking from Nenthead towards Alston in Cumbria today after snow fell across higher ground in parts of Britain
A woman holds a shovel as she moves her bin today after heavy snow fell in Saddleworth, Greater Manchester, overnight
A pony peers over a snow-clad stone wall in Nenthead, Cumbria, today – in one of many picture postcard scenes in the North
Friday is set to be unsettled, but rain and hill snow is set to clear south-eastwards on Saturday, followed by ‘brighter and showery’ weather.
‘Severe’ cold weather alert issued for England
The Met Office and Public Health England have issued a series of cold weathe alerts for the country this week.
London and the South West are under ‘Level 1 – winter preparedness and action’, the South East and Midlands faces a warning for ‘Level 2 – alert and readiness’, while the North is under ‘Level 3 – severe weather action’.
Forecasters say there is a 90 per cent chance of severe cold weather, icy conditions and mostly hill snow until 9am on Friday in parts of England.
They say the weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services.
The cold weather warning map shows green for ‘Level 1 – winter preparedness and action’, yellow for ‘Level 2 – alert and readiness’, and orange for ‘Level 3 – severe weather action’
But it is set to remain very cold, some showers being wintry even at low levels, and gale force winds on northern and western coasts.
A Met Office spokesman added: ‘The final few days of January are likely to remain rather unsettled with brisk winds, outbreaks of rain and hill snow, as well as some showery interludes in between.
‘It will remain cold for most with widespread overnight frosts as well as the risk of ice.
‘Snow remains a possibility to lower levels, particularly in the north.’ Very cold conditions are expected to continue through mid-February ‘with a greater probability of northerly or easterly winds’.
The Met Office’s long-range forecast states: ‘This will bring an increased risk of snow to all areas and more widespread frost.’
Dr Emer O’Connell of Public Health England said: ‘Experience shows us that every winter thousands of people are seriously affected and even die from illnesses linked to the cold. Protecting yourself from the cold may seem like common sense but many people do not manage to keep themselves warm.
‘If you know someone at risk, someone over 65, anyone with dementia or a heart and lung condition, or a young child, check up on them and see if there’s anything you can do to help.
‘All of us should be heating our homes to at least 18C, keeping up to date with weather forecasts and planning our days around them – simple steps can really help protect against the cold.’
** Do you have any photographs of the snow today? Please email them to: pictures@mailonline.co.uk **
Quite an Eiffel! Paris’s famous tower looks almost as beautiful as this bride enjoying a VERY white wedding as snow returns across Europe
- The Eiffel Tower was shut today as two inches of snow hit Paris with roads shut and weather warnings issued
- In the Netherlands cyclists battled against the snow while highest warning levels are in place in parts of Spain
- Germany and Austria will also see cold temperatures just two weeks after they were buried under snowfall
By TIM STICKINGS FOR MAILONLINE and AFP
Europe is set to face another blast of snow this week with up to six inches expected to fall in parts of France and Belgium.
The Eiffel Tower was shut as two inches of snow hit Paris today while a married couple posed for romantic snowy pictures and snowboarders headed to the Sacre-Coeur basilica.
In the Netherlands cyclists were seen battling against the snow while the highest warning level for snow storms was in place in parts of northern Spain.
It comes after a fierce cold snap buried parts of Germany and Austria under snow earlier this month while record low temperatures were recorded in Greece.
Invisible tower: France’s famous landmark is surrrounded by snow and partly hidden by the clouds amid weather warnings in western Europe and a cold snap which could bring up to six inches of snowfall in France and Belgium
Bad day for a bike ride: A cyclist struggles on a snow-covered road in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, where forecasters have issued yellow warnings, predicting further snowfall and saying roads will become slippery
Not just rain in Spain: A man shelters from the snow in Reinosa, in the Cantabria region of northern Spain, where orange and even red warnings are in place with more than a foot of snow expected in the Pyrenees
White wedding: A bride poses in a snow-covered park near the River Seine in Paris, as the city’s wintry weather provides a dramatic backdrop to her big day
France’s weather agency issued an orange warning – the second-highest level – and said more snow was on the way on Tuesday night.
This morning authorities announced the Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors except for the restaurant on the first floor, which was also later shut.
Visitors to the Sacre-Coeur church in Montmartre watched snowboarders tackle the steep lawns running alongside the stairs leading up to the basilica.
Train operator SNCF issued a ‘pre-alert’ of possible delays for high-speed TGV trains in the region, and Paris commuters were also warned of service disruptions on some Metro lines and dozens of bus routes.
At least one major road to the southwest of the French capital was closed to traffic for a few hours after flurries brought several centimetres of heavy snow.
Last year nearly 1,000 vehicles were stranded on the stretch of the RN118 highway, forcing almost 2,000 people to spend the night in their cars.
The French weather agency said the snow is likely to last until Wednesday, warning of traffic accidents and possible disruption to phone and power lines.
There are also weather warnings in place in the Netherlands and Belgium, where two inches of snow are expected to fall in six hours as forecasters warned of slippery roads.
Hardy souls: A few Parisians are seen on the Champs de Mars as the Eiffel Tower is closed because of the severe weather. A restaurant on the first floor initially remained open but was later shut
Winter wonderland: The newly married couple in Paris shelter under an umbrella as they pose for their wedding pictures
Skis and trees: A man skis at the Rennsteig near Oberhof in central Germany where temperatures could drop to 14F (-10C)
Fallen over: A man clambers to his feet as a bicycle lies on a snowy road in Rotterdam, amid freezing temperatures in Europe
One man and his dog: A man walks his pet in Heiloo in the Netherlands today as the first snow of 2019 falls over the country
Wrapped up warm: One woman wraps a coat around her to keep warm in Rotterdam while another man’s jacket billows around him as he attempts to cycle in the same Dutch city
In Rotterdam cyclists struggled on snowy roads today while one was seen falling off his bike as Dutch forecasters issued yellow warnings.
Meanwhile Belgium’s weather service said: ‘We expect winter showers in the coastal region. ‘Another disturbance at night will affect the west of the country and regions along the French border, where we expect an extra layer of snow.
‘There is a chance of ice patches everywhere because of freezing wet road sections or hardened snow.’
In Spain, the highest red warnings are in place in parts of the Pyrenees where more than a foot of snow could fall in 24 hours.
There are orange warnings in place across the north of the country as residents of the Cantabria region were seen sheltering from the snow today.
In Germany temperatures may be even colder with parts of the country expected to drop to 14F (-10C) on Tuesday night.
Austria, which was hit severely by snow two weeks ago, is likely to experience more snowfall with temperatures potentially as low as 10F (-12C) overnight.
Day to remember: The newly married couple pose for their wedding pictures in Paris as the French capital is covered in snow
Blissful: A couple walk together in front of the Eiffel Tower while another man takes a picture amid wintry weather in Paris
Romantic backdrop: People walk in the Avenue de New York along the River Seine in Paris with the Eiffel tower behind them
Day out in the park? Benches are covered in snow in the Champs de Mars in Paris with the closed Eiffel Tower behind them
Landmarks in the snow: A woman struggles through the snow near the Sacre Coeur basilica in Paris (left) while the Eiffel Tower (right) is partly hidden by the clouds amid weather warnings in France
Wrong day for it: An empty city sightseeing bus is seen in Paris as a woman walks at the Trocadero near the Eiffel Tower, as landmarks were covered with a blanket of snow in Paris
Outdoor animals: Dogs are seen during snowfall in Reinosa, Cantabria, amid orange and red weather warnings in Spain