Britons warned of travel chaos amid snow, potential floods and plummeting temperatures

Heavy snow falling through parts of Britain has sparked travel chaos with flights grounded and roads closed – amid warnings the big chill is far from over. 

Some 22 flights out of Glasgow have been cancelled so far today while incoming planes were diverted to Edinburgh as specialist airport staff scramble to clear runway and taxiway areas of persistent snow and freezing rain. 

There were similar scenes at Stansted Airport today, with passengers complaining of long waits on the tarmac as crews desperately tried to clear the path for takeoff.

‘What a joke this morning.. sitting in plane for 90min now,’ one fed-up passenger said.

‘Waiting for de-icing,’ another said. 

Good Samaritans help push a car struggling in snow in Kinross, Perthshire on Friday amid persistent snowfall

A mother pulls her son through the snow in Kinross, Perthshire, both bundled up in their winter warmers

The Ashgill Force waterfall in Cumbria had entirely frozen over on Friday morning amid freezing temperatures

Pictured: Moored canal boats on a frozen Bridgewater canal in Lymm, Cheshire

Blizzards, strong gales and a forecast deluge could spell widespread chaos across the UK, and motorists have been warned to take extra precautions on the road to account for the snow and ice. 

Other roads have already been closed in certain parts of England and Scotland, with public transport routes suspended and pleas for drivers to stay at home.

By midday, the Met Office is predicting as much as four inches of snow to have fallen in some parts.

But even a break in the blistering cold next week brings little comfort, with meteorologists warning of heavy downpours and potential flooding by Monday. 

An amber snow warning is in place for Strathclyde, Central, Tayside and Fife, and West Lothian, and residents in these areas have been urged to remain on high alert.

Commuters have been warned to expect train and flight delays and cancellations, while people working from home can also expect power outages.

A motorist clears ice from her car windscreen in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, as the big chill continues

Kilsyth woke to more than three inches of snow this morning, with bus routes cancelled and warnings to avoid the slippery roads if possible

Blackheath Common in south east London was enveloped in a misty haze on Friday morning after temperatures dropped to -4C overnight

This fountain in Trafalgar Square had frozen over on Friday morning amid ongoing sub-zero temperatures

A burst water main has created a sensational icicle phenomenon on a suburban street. Helen Stratford, a mum from Staunton, took a photo of her daughter Sabrina (pictured) next to the structure on their morning walk

Engineers in Shetland are still working to reconnect some 1,700 properties which have been without power since Monday. 

Overnight, temperatures plummeted to -13.5C in Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands – the coldest town in Britain.

Braemar in Aberdeenshire hit -13C, while central London was -5C by 6am. 

Meanwhile an amber weather warning for snow and ice has also been put in place from 3am to 9pm on Sunday across Scotland, the north of England and West Midlands.

An amber warning for ice covering the east, south east and south of England and much of Wales is also in place from 3am to 11am on Sunday.

This picture of a snow-capped Stirling Castle was compared to something out of a Harry Potter film as fog and clouds swept through

Some braved the early morning chill for a stroll through snow covered parks in Southwark park, London, today

A person walks a dog across icy fields near to Dogmersfield in Hampshire. The big chill is far from over, and even warmer temperatures next week will bring about potential floods

Snow covers the cars and roads in a residential area of Glasgow. Scotland recorded the coldest temperature overnight, with -13.5C in Loch Glascarnoch

An amber weather warning for snow and ice has also been put in place from 3am to 9pm on Sunday across Scotland, the north of England and West Midlands

Icicles hang from the fountain amid freezing weather in Trafalgar Square, London

Met Office Chief Forecaster, Frank Saunders, said: ‘The cold conditions, which have dominated our weather patterns will start to lose ground [from the weekend]. 

‘As the mild air meets the cold air currently in situ over the UK there will be a transient spell of snow, even to low levels, especially in the north. Add to this the risk of rain falling onto frozen surfaces, and strong winds over upland areas of northern Britain (bringing blizzard conditions briefly)

‘This could be a day to avoid travelling in some areas, although the snow should turn to rain later.’

By Monday, temperatures in Cardiff are expected to rise to 15C, while London could see highs of 14C and Edinburgh 11C. Manchester could reach 13C and 12C in Belfast.

But with the warmer weather will come rain, replacing the snow and ice but with potentially sparking flooding in some parts of Britain.

Snow and ice cover the tracks and platform at Maze Hill train station in south east London. There have been warnings that rail services could be impacted

A frozen tree in Gupworthy in Exmoor National Park, Somerset, where temperatures fell to -8C overnight

Cars in Kilsyth were enveloped in a thick, white blanket of snow overnight. This picture was taken at 7.30am this morning, when snow was still falling

Family walk through snow in Dunfermline, Fife as much of Scotland is placed under an Amber weather alert

Pictured: The Ely River, Cardiff near Cardiff Bay which has frozen over due to the sub zero temperatures

The river is now coated in a thin layer of ice 

Commuters are braced for fresh travel chaos, with temperatures plummeting as low as -12C overnight. 

The figure was recorded in the Cotswolds, while today it remains as low as -7C in the Lake District. 

And looking to Christmas, Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill told MailOnline that some northern parts of the country could see snow, with the south remaining milder. 

The UK is expected to be hit by a second blast of cold air from the Arctic, potentially dumping more snow on Britain next week.

Forecasters said that while the big chill – which has seen temperatures plunge to -17C in some areas – will have run its course by the weekend, the cold could sweep back over in a matter of days.

Meteorologists said before then, some parts of the UK could see more than seven inches of snow potentially causing more traffic chaos after the ‘Troll of Trondheim’ battered the country.

Pictured: A man in Dunfermline, Fife, clearing snow from the road after the deluge

Motorists have been warned to take extra precautions on the road amid slippery, icy conditions

Temperatures plunged as low as -12C in the Cotswolds overnight, while today it remains as low as -7C in the Lake District

A snow plough works on a road this morning just outside of the town of Pickering in North Yorkshire

Icicle phenomenon a treat for freezing Gloucestershire residents 

Pictured: Sabrina Stratford with icicles

These pictures show the jaw-dropping icicle phenomenon created when a water pipe burst in Gloucestershire.

Helen Stratford captured the mind-blowing images near her home in Staunton, near Corse, as temperatures dropped below freezing.

She said the freak icicles looked like metal pipes that had erupted out of the ground.

Her daughter, Sabrina, posed for pictured in front of the icicles and even handled one that had broken off.

The pictures prompted a huge reaction on social media. Jackie Wells said: ‘Never seen anything like that before… brilliant pic!’

Gar Pete added: ‘Went past today looks fantastic.’ Peter Jones said: ‘They look great, but oh! So cold brrr.’

These pictures show the jaw-dropping icicle phenomenon created when a water pipe burst in Gloucestershire

Meteorologists said ‘brisk’ winds in the coming days will also make freezing temperatures feel up to 5C colder than they actually are.

The service said that winds streaming from the north will leave a bitter chill, and despite the mercury rising above 0C for most parts of the country, few areas will actually feel that warm.

Over the weekend things are expected to become much milder, with temperatures potentially reaching double figures in some southern areas – forecasts suggest highs of 13C in London at the start of next week, compared to 1C on Wednesday.

It would make a noticeable change from the last week which has seen the longest period of cold weather since February 2021, although any respite could be short lived with the return of more air from the poles early next week.

In recent days there has been chaos on the roads of London and the South East as heavy snow fall and treacherous ice blocked roads and caused cancellations to trains and flights.

Snow falls in Tynemouth, North Tyneside this morning making driving difficult 

A major incident was declared for the Shetland Islands as thousands of homes have been left without power amid plummeting temperatures. Pictured: Broken power lines in the Shetlands

Customers can claim up to £30 per person for every 24 hours they are without power and are asked to keep copies of their receipts. Pictured, SSEN Distribution engineers work to restore power on Shetland