Brits are set to face more freezing temperatures with warnings of sleet, snow and ice as the mercury dips to -6C today.
In unseasonally cold weather, there was heavy snow on Thursday morning in west Yorkshire with large snow flakes falling as the country was hit by Arctic air moving southwards.
In Canterbury, snow saw a county cricket warm-up match between Lancashire and Kent suspended and then cancelled.
The Met Office has now issued a yellow weather warnings for ice and snow which could cause rush hour traffic chaos on Friday morning.
A BBC map shows that temperatures will fall as low as -6C in Scotland while it will be sub zero temperatures up and down the country.
BBC weather forecaster Chris Fawkes said: "Cold start to the morning with a widespread and sharp frost and where we have seen showers overnight that will certainly lead to some icy surfaces around eastern areas, notably in parts of Kent where we could also see some fairly significant snow overnight and the early part of Friday morning."
A Met Office warning – which covers north-east England, east Scotland and the Shetland Islands until 10am – means frosty surfaces could cause injuries from slips and falls, as well as travel disruption.
It states: " Snow and hail showers could lead to icy surfaces, with possible travel disruption."
Adding that people can expect: " Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces. Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths."
A separate yellow warning for snow and ice also covers a small pocket of south-east England until 10am.
Met Office forecaster Clare Nasir said: " Cold and icy over the next 24 hours with an ice warning in place anywhere from the Northern Isles down towards eastern England in place through Thursday and into Friday associated with snow showers.
"Towards the South East a feature coming in from the near continent will deliver rain and snow. Some stronger winds here, so a snow and ice warning here until mid morning on Friday.
"Then we see this feature here just sliding down the western side of the UK, that's wind, rain and hill snow. Things quieten down through the weekend before they liven up into next week.”
Rain showers broken by intermittent patches of wintry sunshine are forecast for much of the rest of the UK during Friday.
The Environment Agency has issued two flood warnings and one flood alert for areas along the River Thames. Flooding is “expected” at Coalhouse Point on the river in Essex, and is “possible” in the areas between Putney Bridge and Teddington Weir in west London.
After the mercury drops below freezing overnight across the UK, temperatures are forecast to reach highs of 7C and 8C across the UK on Friday and Saturday, increasing to 9C and 10C on Sunday.
UK forecast for the next 5 days
Feeling cold with wintry showers continuing.
This Evening and Tonight:
Cold with widespread frost. Wintry showers will continue in the north and east with a risk of icy patches later and some snow, mainly over higher ground.
Friday:
Sunny spells and further wintry showers, most frequent along parts of the north and east coasts. A more organised area of rain affecting parts of western Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Further showers Saturday, but these falling mainly as rain. Mostly dry and bright on Sunday. Cloud and rain arrives into west later, pushing southeast on Monday, becoming slightly less cold.
