Millions of Brits woke up to bitingly cold conditions this morning as the first Arctic freeze of the winter sets in, leaving streets blanketed with snow and widespread frost.
This week's cold snap, dubbed the 'Troll of Trondheim', has seen overnight temperatures plummet to -7C as snow fell in the northern parts of Scotland, while weather warnings for ice have been extended over the weekend and to include Northern Ireland.
Stunning photos show the country frozen over and of snowfall in remote parts of North Yorkshire and on the Scottish roads around the Moray area this morning.
Even southern England got its fair share of wintry weather, with frost blanketing London's Richmond Park.
Snow fell in northern Scotland and high, remote parts of northern England as weather experts extended the yellow warning for snow to last until Sunday.
Forecasters warned more snow and frost is on the way this week, as well as a spell of "freezing fog" on Friday.
Scottish police last night closed 'snow gates' - gates shutting roads during adverse weather conditions - at two locations overnight.
Weather warnings for ice remain in place for today and tomorrow along the east coast, Cumbria, Merseyside, southern Scotland, Wales and the South West.
The warning was extended this morning to include Northern Ireland, and will now continue for the North West and Wales into Saturday.
The warning for snow and ice will remain until Sunday for northern Scotland.
Millions of commuters have woken up across the country to widespread frost, resulting in many being forced to de-ice their cars.
It comes after an unusually mild November, with the 'Troll of Trondheim' named after the Norwegian city from which the spell of cold air came.
Most locations in England will see thermometers dip below freezing over the coming 24 hours, forecasters from the Met Office say, with warnings in place across most of Britain for icy conditions which could disrupt travel.
Scotland will see the worst of the weather, however, with a yellow weather warning in place for snow as well.
A spokesperson for the Met Office said disruption was "likely" throughout Thursday and Friday, warning of injuries from slippery surfaces and ice on roads making driving and cycling hazardous.
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: "We are in this pattern for seven days at least.
"We could see it continue for a while longer, there's uncertainty in the evolution and how long it will last.
"However, the pattern for the next seven days is that it will remain cold and we will see double digit minus figures overnight in areas that are prone to frosts and areas where there is lying snow."
Hundreds of homes in Sheffield meanwhile have been left without gas for the past few days, with a major incident declared after a burst water main damaged a gas pipe on Friday last week.
Sheffield City Council declared a major incident yesterday, as engineers were forced to go house to house to flush water out the system and check homes - some of which saw liquid pouring from their gas meters and appliances.
A Met Office spokesperson said: "Frequent wintry showers will spread into Northern Ireland through the early hours of Thursday then on to Wales, parts of western and northwestern England, and parts of Southwest England.
"These will fall on frozen ground in many areas, leading to the formation of icy stretches on untreated surfaces.
"In addition, showers are likely to fall as snow on high ground, with slight accumulations possible in places."
UK 5 day weather forecast
Today:
Wintry showers across northern Scotland, and also affecting east coasts. Some showers across west Wales and southwest England producing sleet or snow over higher ground. Many other places fine and dry. Breezy in the north, and feeling cold for all.
Tonight:
Wintry showers over northern Scotland and exposed coasts elsewhere, occasionally moving inland, with further snow accumulations and icy surfaces. Clear spells elsewhere and a widespread frost, severe in places.
Friday:
Cold with widespread frost, perhaps some early isolated freezing fog. Wintry showers continuing near exposed coasts. Many inland areas remaining dry. Winds mostly light, moderate along exposed coasts.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Remaining cold or very cold with wintry showers continuing around coasts. Increasing chance of areas of freezing fog developing, especially for parts of England and Wales, especially through the weekend.
