Britain continues to shiver in freezing conditions with temperatures plummeting to -9.8C overnight but milder weather is on the way.
The mercury dropped to -9.8C (14.4F) overnight at Strathallan in Perthshire, while temperatures of -9C (15.8F) and -8C (17.6F) were recorded at Glasgow and Edinburgh Airport.
Police Scotland have this morning dealt with 25 road crashes in an hour amid icy conditions across the country.
The cold snap is expected to ease over the coming days, with some parts of the south expected to reach highs of 10C (50F), bringing some welcome respite from the Arctic blast.
Britain continues to shiver in freezing conditions with temperatures plummeting to -9.8C overnight
This was the picture across the country at 6am this morning, with temperatures in north-east England and Scotland at -4C
The DFDS King Seaways, travelling across the North Sea, is silhouetted by the rising sun as the 161m long cruise ferry arrives at Tynemouth this morning
The UK continues to shiver in bitterly cold temperatures today (pictured: frozen ground in Wollaton Hall Park)
A man walks his dog as the sun rises over a frozen Wollaton Hall Park, in Nottingham, this morning
Most of the country can expect relatively cold temperatures today, although they are forecast to rise significantly tomorrow and on Wednesday
With Britain in the grip of a cold snap, skiers yesterday were able to take to the slopes in the Lake District, as 40 hardy thrillseekers took advantage of heavier than usual snowfall in the area.
Despite the Met Office saying there had been little snow in recent days, Raise Fell next to the 3,000ft Helvellyn was covered generously, allowing skiers to use the facilities there.
Operated by the Lake District Ski Club, there are up to nine runs, one of which is a mile long, plus a tow which helps propel skiers to the top after a 90-minute trek from the village of Glenridding on the shores of Ullswater.
In good seasons around 60 days of skiing can be enjoyed each year.
Over the weekend the temperature on Helvellyn was -3.6C (25F), with snow 40 inches deep on the highest slopes.
Thousands of skiers and snow boarders also took to Scotland’s slopes as winter resorts enjoyed ‘bluebird’ conditions – with good snow coverage and blue skies.
It was one of the best weekends so far this season for Scotland’s five main ski resorts – all of which had an increasing number of runs open.
CairnGorm Mountain had around 700 skiers and snowboarders on Saturday ‘enjoying some really great snow conditions’.
The English Alps: Scores of skiers hiked up to England’s highest ski tow yesterday to enjoy Alpine skiing on a remote area on Raise Fell in the Lake District
The skiers had to hike for an hour to reach the Lake District Ski Club on Raise Fell, high above Glenridding
A skier is hauled up to the top of a slope high above Glenridding. Overnight sub-zero temperatures made for perfect skiing and breathtaking views in the Lake District
The Lake District resembled the Alps as wind-driven snow encrusted on the tow fences, and skiers took advantage of the slopes
Hikers were rewarded for their climb in the Lake District as they enjoyed pristine vistas and snow-capped peaks
Forecasters warned, however, there is unlikely to be any more snow in the area over coming days and warmer temperatures could melt what there is.
Most of the country can expect relatively cold temperatures today, although they are forecast to rise significantly tomorrow and on Wednesday, with areas such as Plymouth expected to reach double digits.
Becky Mitchell, from the Met Office, said: ‘It’s feeling very cold and some of us could be scraping our cars this morning. It’s a cloudier picture across the south but still feeling bitterly cold in the strength of those winds.
‘Through the rest of the day parts of northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland hang on to the sunshine, so it will be a bright and sunny day here.
‘Elsewhere clouds will gradually make their way northwards and we’ll increasingly see spits and spots of rain through the course of the afternoon.
‘We’ll see highs of around 4 or 5 degrees but add on the strength of the wind across all parts of the country and it will feel colder than these temperatures suggest.
‘We hang on to clear skies in Scotland overnight so there will be another sharp frost developing here quite quickly after darkness.
‘On Tuesday rain from the west will bring cloudier skies and a risk of drizzle and by the time we get to the evening wet and windier weather will sweep its way into western parts of the country.’
Bitterly-cold weather on Sunday wasn’t enough to put these intrepid fishermen off their favourite hobby at the beach in Weston-super-mare in Somerset
Crepuscular rays struggled to break through thick cloud yesterday morning at Tynemouth beach
Sunday was ushered in by a still and chilly start after sub-zero temperatures coated every blade of grass with frost in Glasgow’s Pollok Park
In Spain, the army has been deploying emergency response units to rescue drivers trapped in their cars by heavy snow across large areas of the country.
Hundreds of cars were stuck as snowfall in northern and central regions disrupted travel on a holiday weekend, with families returning from Epiphany celebrations on Friday and Saturday.
More than 150 soldiers supported by snowploughs worked overnight to free an unknown number of vehicles on a highway north-west of Madrid yesterday.
Emergency services for the region of Castilla and Leon say that 80 people were taken in at a temporary shelter in the nearby town of San Rafael.
The sun rises over a cold Glasgow skyline yesterday morning featuring the Co-operative Building on Morrison Street
A 3m high bronze sculpture entitled Seated Figure sits in frosty conditions in North York Moors National Park
Stretching off! A member of the Serpentine Swimmers Club prepares to take the plunge in London’s Hyde Park yesterday
A woman clad in swimwear sports a hat as she takes a dip in freezing-cold waters in London’s Hyde Park as part of the Serpentine Swimmers Club