Britain yesterday experienced more wintry weather ahead of the first weekend of December – with icy rain forecast as far south as London today.
Large parts of Scotland and areas of northern England – including the Pennines and the Yorkshire Moors – saw icy conditions on Thursday.
Beautiful photographs showed towns and villages under blankets of the white stuff yesterday morning, with more set to pour in overnight as a Met Office warning remains in place from 10pm on Thursday until 9am today.
The coldest weather is expected in western Scotland overnight, where temperatures could drop to an icy -10C (14F). Parts of the south will also feel the chill along with sleet, with temperatures dipping down to -1C (30F) in London.
The Met Office said the weekend would see brighter weather and even some sunshine, but temperatures going into next week would be lower than the average, which is usually around 7C to 9C (45F to 48F).
Snow falls in North Yorkshire today with the UK expecting more wintry weather ahead of the first weekend of December
Weather warnings are in place for Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland both for today (left) and tomorrow (right)
A van is stuck on a snowy road near Newby Head in North Yorkshire today after the Met Office issued weather warnings
A fell runner takes a photo on a phone in the snow on the summit of Arthur’s Seat at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh today
A stunning view of Atholl Palace after snowfall at Pitlochry in Perthshire overnight into this morning
Snow sits on a red telephone box after snowfall this morning in Moulin, a village in Scotland near Pitlochry, Perthshire
A view of the south of Edinburgh covered in a dusting of snow from Holyrood Park in the city this afternoon
A car is stuck on a snowy road near Newby Head in North Yorkshire today, with the UK expecting more wintry weather
A train runs along the tracks in snowy North Yorkshire today with the UK expecting more wintry weather in the next few days
Pitlochry was left under a blanket of snow this morning following snowfall in Scotland overnight and into today
A beautiful snowy landscape at Newby Head in North Yorkshire today as the UK experiences wintry weather conditions
A gritter lorry drives down a road after snowfall at Pitlochry in Perthshire left behind ice on the roads this morning
Snow falls on the hills of North Yorkshire today with weather warnings in place for ice and snow in parts of Britain
Sheep walk on a snowy field in Pitlochry today as Scotland experiences wintry weather conditions
A beautiful view of Loch Tummel at Queens View after snowfall near Pitlochry in Perthshire this morning
Chief meteorologist Dan Suri said: ‘It’ll certainly feel more wintry this week, with colder weather bringing a risk of frost, ice and wintry showers.
‘The risk of snow accumulating is largely confined to the northern half of the UK – mainly over higher ground in Scotland, Wales and northern England.’
Traffic Scotland operator manager Douglas Cairns said a record number of gritters had been made available to keep traffic moving this winter.
‘The first severe weather warning of the winter for snow and ice is always a timely reminder for people to check they are winter ready and have made appropriate preparations,’ he said.
An icy road in North Yorkshire is pictured this morning with the UK expecting more wintry weather in the net few days
A couple of fell runners run through the snow near the summit of Arthur’s Seat in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, this afternoon
A train travels through North Yorkshire this morning after snow fell on the hills with the UK expecting more wintry weather
Snowfall on the ground in Pitlochry today as the Met Office warned up to four inches of the white stuff could fall in Scotland
A car is stuck on a snowy road near Garsdale in Cumbria today with the UK expecting more wintry weather
A hiker walks through the snow at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh this afternoon after a blanket of the white stuff fell
A gritter lorry is seen on a road after snowfall in Pitlochry, Perthshire, this morning as the UK faces wintry conditions
A couple walk through the snow at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh this afternoon as Scotland experiences wintry conditions
Snow falls on the hills of North Yorkshire this morning as parts of Britain were put under a weather warning
A picture postcard landscape in North Yorkshire this morning as snow fell on the hills – with more on the way
Atholl Palace looks majestic this morning after snowfall at Pitlochry in Perthshire as Scotland is put under a weather warning
As the cold weather arrives the first snowfall of winter is seen at Upper Teesdale in County Durham this morning
A white landscape across Upper Teesdale in County Durham this morning following the first snowfall of winter
A sheep looks out as the cold weather arrives amid the first snowfall of winter at Upper Teesdale in County Durham today
But deputy chief meteorologist, Dan Harris, said that despite the cold and unsettled weather – including freezing fog – all was not ‘doom and gloom’.
‘We’re keeping an eye on other areas where there is potential for disruptive snow – in particular central and south-east England and the hills of northern England,’ he said.
‘It’ll stay cold into the weekend with rain, showers and hill snow continuing across many areas, along with overnight frosts.
‘We could also see some stubborn areas of freezing fog develop more widely, which at this time of year can persist all day.
‘However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as there’s likely to be an increased chance of dry, bright, and perhaps even sunny weather on offer as the weekend progresses.’
Highs of just 7C (45F) are expected in the South East this weekend.
A fell runner runs through the snow on the summit of Arthur’s Seat at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh this afternoon
A view of the south of Edinburgh and the Pentland Hills covered in snow today, taken from Holyrood Park in Edinburgh
A gritter drives along the road at Upper Teesdale in County Durham this morning following the first snowfall of winter
A beautiful white landscape across Upper Teesdale in County Durham this morning following overnight snowfall
Sheep are pictured on the snow at Upper Teesdale in County Durham this morning as parts of the country face wintry weather
Snow has covered parts of Upper Teesdale in County Durham this morning – with more expected to fall tomorrow
A car travels through a wintry landscape on a mountain road in Elan Valley near Rhayader in Powys, Wales, this morning
Snow begins to melt on cars in Glasgow this morning after falling overnight, with parts of Scotland under a weather warning
Snow fell overnight into this morning in Shotts, a town in North Lanarkshire between Glasgow and Edinburgh
Snow falls early this morning on a road in Anniesland in the West End of Glasgow, where there was a brief heavy flurry
Snow settled overnight in Shotts in Scotland, with weather warnings in place for parts of the country today and tomorrow
Traffic Scotland cameras captured the snow today, with a record number of gritters made available to keep traffic moving
The weather is set to remain ‘unsettled and rather cold’ until the middle of the month and it is set to be ‘windy at times with a risk of coastal gales’.
The Met Office said there is a chance of ‘some drier and brighter’ interludes at times, however.
Its long-range forecast states: ‘Should any settled interludes develop, overnight frosts will be more widespread along with a greater chance of fog.’
Forecasters predict the chilly and unsettled conditions could continue even as far ahead as the festive period – with a potential white Christmas on the cards.
The Met Office said the last fortnight of December is due to remain ‘changeable’ with ‘outbreaks of rain and showers at times particularly in the east and south’.
‘Snow remains most likely over the hills but could fall at lower levels at times,’ its long-range forecast added.
** Have you taken photos of the snow in Britain today? Please email them to: pictures@mailonline.co.uk **