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UK weather – Snow and flash floods hit Britain before -10C New Year deep freeze
BRITS will face six inches of snow before the new year and thousands have been driven from their homes by flash foods amid a -10C deep freeze.
Weather warnings for snow and ice are in place across much of the UK until Thursday as an Arctic blast sweeps across the country from north to south. Meanwhile, others have faced the devastation of huge floods.
⚠️ Read our UK weather live blog for the very latest news and forecasts.
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The Met Office says that overnight temperatures "will tumble towards freezing, perhaps getting as low as -10°C".
Drivers have been urged to stay off the roads, with treacherous conditions predicted by the AA as thawing snow turns to ice.
Last night, a man suffering from hypothermia was rescued after his car plunged into freezing water in Essex.
A huge tree was also blown onto a Mini in south-east London.
Meanwhile, supermarkets including Tesco and Sainsbury's have cancelled some food deliveries - leaving furious customers without a weekly shop.
It comes days after Storm Bella battered the country with 106mph gusts and heavy downpours.
In some areas of the UK, flooding was so severe that water sports enthusiasts kayaked down submerged roads.
And there's no let-up for those worst-affected by the deluge, with more extreme weather ahead.
Conditions expected to be challenging until New Year's Day.
Today, people living between Dorset in the south and the Scottish Highlands in the north have been warned of freezing conditions and snowfall.
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The south-east and east of England, as well as the north-west of Scotland, much of Wales and Northern Ireland, will escape the wintry weather today.
And on Wednesday and Thursday, the coldest conditions will cover swathes of England from the south to the Midlands, as well as south Wales.
Up to six inches could fall in central and southern England tomorrow evening, Met Office forecasters say.
"It's cold and there's some sleet and snow to go with it," a Met Office spokesperson told Sun Online.
"On Wednesday afternoon, we will see a swathe of wet weather crossing southern England and Wales and there is a possibility it will bring some heavy snow in the latter part of Wednesday and overnight on Thursday.
"The warning stretches as far as London, so we could see some disruptive and significant snow building up.
"There's a high chance of seeing something wintry."
Snow had already fallen in parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and England by Sunday afternoon, while more than 100 flood warnings were in place across England following days of stormy conditions.
Heavy snow fell overnight in Manchester, causing several crashes on the M6 last night - resulting in motorists caught in tailbacks.
Staffordshire Police also warned of "serious disruption", with several roads in the area impassable.
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A thick layer of snow coated the M60 west near Sale and Barton Bridge.
Londoners have woken to freezing temperatures - and the mercury won't climb beyond 5C.
Heavy snowfall on Monday prompted Gloucestershire Police to warn members of the public to take care and to "only go out if it is essential to do so".
The force tweeted: "Heavy snow is starting to fall in the rural parts of the county. This will cause delays on the roads."
In the West Midlands, Dudley Zoo shut as a result of the snow.
And this morning, the Met Office said people in the north - including the Pennines and the Yorkshire Dales - have awoken to up to 10cm of snow.
Temperatures will remain below average for the rest of the week, with the mercury expected to reach highs just 7C in south-west England.
The chilly temperatures follow several days of wintery weather over the Christmas period.
Storm Bella blasted much of the country on Boxing Day.
Some 66 flood warnings - meaning 'take action' - remain in place in England after thousands of people were evacuated from their homes.
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There are also 123 flood alerts, meaning 'be aware'.
The Environment Agency had warned of a "severe risk to life" as rivers burst their banks and high streets were swamped.
Despite the bad conditions, gales meant that for the first time ever, more than half of Britain's electricity was generated by wind power on Saturday.
According to energy firm Drax, 50.67 per cent of the country's power was produced by wind turbines on Boxing Day.
But it came at a cost to Brits driven from their homes.
On Sunday, 1,300 homes near the River Great Ouse in Bedfordshire were evacuated.
Firefighters in the area also had to rescue two people trapped in their homes by floods.
Council workers handed out sandbags in Cirencester, Glos., while more than 70 homes were without power in the town, while forty homes in Witney, Oxfordshire, flooded.
The M25 QE2 bridge from Essex into Dartford, Kent, was shut and a string of other roads across the region were closed by floods or fallen trees.
In Wales, Western Power said the storm plunged 21,000 homes into darkness as lines were brought down, cutting power.
The Welsh Grand National at Chepstow was called off due to a waterlogged course.
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Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick told people to check Government advice on staying safe.
Officials have warned that just 30cm of flowing water can float a car after motorists were be rescued from vehicles trapped in flooding in North Yorkshire.
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And in Aysgarth, a man and a woman were also rescued by boat from the roof of their car at 2.40am after they drove into deep water.
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