The Met Office has issued rare amber alerts as heavy snow covers parts of Britain and temperatures drop to as low as -15C.
The arctic blast will be felt the strongest in parts of Scotland, which experienced the coldest night of winter so far.
However, the Met Office has warned that tonight could be even chillier, with the UK on track to experience the coldest January night for 14 years if temperatures plummet to -15C as some forecasters have predicted.
Describing the frosty conditions last night, which were expected to drop to -15C and stopped short of that by one degree, Met Office forecaster Liam Eslick said: “It is still one of the coldest January nights in the last five years.”
UK snow warning: Rare amber alerts issued as new 20cm snow blast to pummel parts of Britain“Although we didn't get the lowest temperature overnight, it's quite possible we could see that again tonight. So it is definitely still on the cards over the next day or so.”
The weather office has issued two orange snow warnings for northern Scotland, cautioning that regular heavy snow showers will disrupt travel across the area.
It warned: “Further frequent, occasionally heavy, snow showers will affect the Northern Isles and northwest Scotland through Wednesday evening and Thursday with an additional 5-10 cm of snow likely, and the potential for a further 15-20 cm of snow in a few locations. In addition, strengthening northerly then north-westerly winds will cause lying snow to drift.”
Before the weekend approaches, more than 40cm of snow may be seen on high ground in north-west Scotland, the Met Office said.
WEATHER LATEST:
UK snow warning: Rare amber alerts issued as new 20cm snow blast to pummel parts of Britain
Ventusky
The pair of rare alerts begin at 3.00pm today and last until 6.00pm tomorrow and covers the Highlands, the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands.
Delays on roads are likely and some vehicles and passengers could be stranded due to the wintery conditions.
Power cuts could also occur, and Britons facing the worst of the frosty conditions should brace themselves for patchy mobile phone coverage.
The Met Office also warned that as the blizzard sweeps over the UK, there is a “good chance that some rural communities could become cut off”.
The latest amber alerts issued by the Met Office
Met Office
Tonight could be the coldest night in 14 years
WX Charts
The Met Office said a “cold plunge of Arctic air” has moved south across the whole country, making it 5C to 6C lower than usual for this time of year.
All schools and nurseries in Shetland and Orkney are shut, while 144 are closed in the Highlands and about 90 in Aberdeenshire.
The amber warnings are in effect alongside yellow snow and ice weather warnings which are active across parts of Scotland, northwest England, parts of Wales and the West Midlands.
They began on Sunday and are in place until Friday.