But weather experts warned that Arctic conditions might last for days – and six yellow “severe weather” warnings are set to stay in place until midnight tomorrow.
Met Office staff said the alerts may be revised to amber in parts of Scotland where up to 2in of snow is expected, with 7in on high ground.
Temperatures there were tipped to plunge as low as -15C last night, with a harsh frost this morning.
Snow yesterday blanketed the north and north-west of England, North Wales, Northern Ireland and also Scotland, where more than 100 schools closed as strong, biting winds created blizzard conditions and a significant wind chill.
At least 20 Merseyside schools shut too but some families took to sledges for the first time this year and enjoyed the whiteout.
Thousands of motorists in the northern half of the UK endured difficult conditions and police dealt with a number of incidents.
National Rail warned passengers to expect disruption all week amid the risk of power cuts.
Experts predicted that while it might be drier today, temperatures are still 5 or 6C below average.
The coldest recorded spot yesterday morning was Aonach Mòr near Fort William at -8.6C, while parts of Oxfordshire, Dorset and Hampshire all fell to -8C. Even West London shivered at -6.2C.
Northern and eastern coasts may experience snow flurries tomorrow but Met Office forecaster Alex Burkill said a weather system that threatened to bring major snowfall to southern areas looks likely to pass to the south of the UK.
Instead, it would stay clear with sunny blue skies but still only a few degrees above freezing.
Andy Page, chief Met Office meteorologist, added: “We could see some fairly deep-laying snow in parts of northern UK and strong winds could result in drifting or blizzard conditions.
“The snow and ice will be disruptive and could potentially impact travel plans, make driving dangerous and pavements slippery.”
Thousands of households in Cumbria, Oxfordshire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Norfolk, North-umberland and Powys are eligible for cold weather payments to help the vulnerable afford heating when temperatures dip below freezing.
