Snow will continue to fall over the weekend, the Met Office has forecast as it issued new weather warnings.
A yellow weather warning for frequent snow showers and possible hail is in place in many parts of north and west Scotland, from Wednesday morning to midday on Thursday.
Between 2cm and 5cm (up to 2in) of snow is expected widely and it could reach 10cm in some parts of the north-west mainland, with higher ground seeing 15cm to 20cm (up to 7.8in), the Met Office said.
A yellow warning for ice with a “few sleet or snow showers” has been posted from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning in most of Scotland, the East and West Midlands, the east, north-east and north-west of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Yorkshire.
Insurance and roadside assistance company RAC said on Wednesday that drivers are suddenly facing “some of the worst road conditions we’ve seen all year”, as North Yorkshire Police reported the A169 Sleights to Whitby, A171 Fylingdales, A171 north of Whitby and A174 Whitby towards Guisborough were all impassable.
Parts of south-west England have also received a new yellow Met Office warning for snow between 5am and 3pm on Thursday, with 5cm to 10cm predicted in higher parts of Dartmoor.
Heavy snow is expected on Saturday followed by a “rapid thaw” and rain on Saturday night in north-east and north-west England, the West Midlands, Yorkshire, and much of Scotland.
The Met Office issued a yellow warning for the weather event and said there is a chance floodwater could cause danger to life, some rural communities could become cut off, and there may be travel disruption.
New yellow warnings for rain have also been published from Saturday to Sunday morning in south-west England and Wales.
Met Office spokesperson Andrea Bishop said: “A deep area of low pressure is expected to bring a spell of prolonged and, at times, heavy rainfall across a large part of the UK this weekend.
“Across south-west England, rain is expected to develop during Saturday morning with heavier rain likely later in the day and overnight into early Sunday morning.
“Fifty to 75mm of rain is expected to fall fairly widely during this time with a chance that some places over Dartmoor could see 100-125mm. Strong southerly winds will accompany the heavy rain and may locally exacerbate impacts.”
A Met Office spokesperson added on Wednesday morning: “Rain, snow and ice continue to be potential hazards through this week as an Arctic air mass continues to influence the UK’s weather, bringing potential ongoing disruption for some.
“It will be feeling very cold for most, with daytime temperatures in the low single figures, with a wind chill meaning it will be feeling even cooler.”
The lowest temperature recorded on Tuesday night was minus 7.5C in Warcop, Cumbria, and the average low for the whole nation is 4C at this time of year.
Altnaharra, Sutherland, saw 14cm of snow, 8cm was recorded at Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands, and 6cm in Thorncliffe, Staffordshire.
More than 100 schools or nurseries were closed in Scotland on Wednesday because of the weather, with 52 shut in the Highland Council area, 51 in Aberdeenshire, 11 in Moray and two in Shetland.
A sharp rise in vehicle breakdowns has also been reported as drivers’ batteries failed on Wednesday morning due to cold weather, the RAC said.
The AA has predicted “a major increase in (its) workload” due to sub-zero temperatures, snow and ice, and it urged drivers to check forecasts before travelling and to do so with “extreme caution” in the hardest-hit areas.
RAC Breakdown spokeswoman, Alice Simpson said: “The first taste of winter means drivers are suddenly contending with the some of the worst road conditions we’ve seen all year.
“With freezing temperatures already causing disruption in the east and north of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and snow showers now affecting regions further south, we advise motorists to plan well as ice forms on untreated surfaces.”
Another RAC spokesperson, Rod Dennis, called on motorists to properly de-ice vehicles and ensure the entire windscreen is clear rather than rushing out of the house “with a tiny little space” to see the road.
He added: “We’ve seen, as you would probably expect, a really sharp rise in breakdowns – predominantly from a lot of people’s batteries failing in the cold, which is inevitable.”
“Adopt a cautious driving style” in areas with risk of black ice and “be gentle on the accelerator, never be tempted to step on the brake” as it could cause issues on slippery roads, he said.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued the first amber cold weather health alert of the season, warning conditions could be dangerous for vulnerable people, including the elderly.
