Commuters are bracing themselves for blizzards and fresh travel chaos this morning as an Arctic blast continues to grip the country.
Yesterday’s white-out trapped drivers on snow-covered roads as temperatures fell well below zero across much of Britain.
The sleet and snow did not let up overnight, with some of the worst-affected areas now facing a risk of power cuts.
Parts of northeast England could see yet more blizzards today with an amber warning for snow issued by the Met Office.
Nearly a foot of snow could settle on high ground on the North York Moors and the surrounding area, where the warning remains in place until 9pm.
The ordeal may not be over as yellow warnings for snow and ice remain in place across the northeast of England, western Wales and as far south as Devon and Cornwall. Warnings also remain in place for the northeast of England.
As bitter cold air continues to grip the country, with overnight lows of -6C expected in northern rural areas, the Met Office is warning temperatures could plunge to -12C in parts of Scotland on Friday.
The Met Office said the persistent snow could cause ‘substantial disruption’ in the north east, while wintry showers are set to disrupt other areas of the country.
The major roads A171 and A169 between Whitby and Pickering have been closed, with drivers advised to stay off the roads and seek alternative routes.
A person walks in the snow in Newcastle after an overnight snowfall led to white-covered streets
Queues of traffic seen on the A171 in North Yorkshire as police urge drivers to avoid the area
Five separate yellow warnings for snow and ice also blanket swathes of the UK, including the north-east coast, Cornwall, Devon and western Wales on Thursday
Crashes on the A171 near Whitby triggered severe tailbacks, with footage showing lines of vehicles crawling through near-blinding conditions before police closed the route. By midnight, the stretch remained impassable.
Images posted online captured cars and a lorry battling the treacherous conditions.
National Rail urged passengers to check services amid speed restrictions, potential cancellations and delays.
Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said sleet and snow showers would continue to lash coastal areas, while the national forecaster warned rural communities within the amber zone risk becoming cut off as gusty winds whip up ‘occasional blizzard conditions’.
Temperatures will begin to rise closer to averages for this time of year at the weekend when wetter and windier weather arrives, but it will not be as ‘exceptionally mild’ as it was earlier in November, the forecaster said.
Mr Dewhurst said: ‘Thursday will be a sunny day for most, but there will be further sleet and snow showers for coastal stretches which will filter a little inland too. Heavy across north-east England in particular.
‘The highest snowfall totals from Wednesday night through Thursday will likely be across the Sperrins, North Yorkshire Moors, Northwest Highlands, Grampians and upland Pembrokeshire.’
The national weather service said rural communities could become cut off in the amber warning area as gusty winds hit, creating ‘occasional blizzard conditions’, with the possibility of lightning a further hazard.
Shaun Jones, AA Expert Patrol, said: ‘When snow and ice hit, the roads can quickly become treacherous. Stopping distances can increase tenfold on icy surfaces, so slowing down and leaving plenty of space is absolutely vital.
‘Drivers should plan ahead, stick to main routes and allow extra time for their journey.’
Wintry showers will hit East Anglia, western Wales and Cornwall overnight but persisting snow in the North East could cause ‘substantial disruption’, the Met Office said.
Met Office Chief Forecaster Neil Armstrong said: ‘Cold Arctic air from the north is firmly in charge of the UK’s weather, bringing the first notable cold snap of this autumn and giving an early taste of winter weather.
‘As a result, winter hazards are likely through the next few days, with snow and ice a particular hazard, and the coldest conditions likely on Wednesday and Thursday. Wintry showers will affect areas exposed to the brisk northerly wind, in particular Northern Ireland, southwest Wales, southwest England, northeast England, East Anglia and across the northern half of Scotland.
Motorist seen driving through A road in the North York moors through the dangerous snowy conditions
Lorry stuck on A169 near Fylingdales, prompting police to divert traffic through Scarborough
‘Whilst not all places will see lying snow, where showers are most frequent, accumulations of 2-5 cm will be possible. On higher ground in Scotland, 15-20 cm could accumulate, and potentially as much as 15-25 cm over the North York Moors and Yorkshire Wolds.’
In addition to snow, ice will be an ongoing hazard, particularly overnight in the coming days.
Neil Armstong added: ‘Temperatures are well below average for the time of year and could get as low as -10°C in rural parts of Scotland on Thursday night, with daytime temperatures generally in low single figures for many. With clear skies, overnight ice could create some particularly tricky travel conditions.’
Meanwhile, in London, Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has brought in the capital’s Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), which provides extra accommodation for homeless people.
The plan sees boroughs and homelessness charities open additional emergency housing for people sleeping rough in conditions that could pose a threat to life.
SWEP, which is activated when temperatures fall to 0C (32F), was in place for 22 nights last winter when London boroughs housed more than 2,000 people.
Temperatures will begin to rise closer to averages for this time of year at the weekend when wetter and windier weather arrives, but it will not be as ‘exceptionally mild’ as it was earlier in November, the Met Office said.