An Arctic blast heading for the UK will bring a wall of snow to several British communities, forecasters have predicted, and temperatures far below zero.
Weather forecasters are tracking a vast system heading towards the country this week that could see the mercury fall by more than 15C in some areas.
Lows could reach -10C in the coldest regions, but the bitter chill won’t cause as much disruption as the forecasted snow.
Maps show rapidly developing snowfall descending in a several hundred-mile band stretching across the country from the east to west coast.
The Met Office has warned that several inches worth of snow could cut off communities across the Midlands and northern England for half a day this week.
The first sign of the UK’s Arctic blast came early this morning in the Shetland Isles, where snowfall began around 3am, according to the Met Office.
A yellow warning from the agency predicted a band of sleet and snow would cause wintry accumulations between 2cm and 5cm (0.7 to two inches) over low ground in Shetland, with up to 10cm or 15cm (four to six inches) possible by the time the alert expires at 3pm.
A second warning for Scotland follows on February 7, after which the snow will drift hundreds of miles south.
Maps show the band crossing the country from Norfolk to Wales on its south side and Dumfries to Newcastle in the north, with uninterrupted snow falling over communities in the middle.
Charts suggest the system will grow to cover nearly 250 miles east to west and 150 miles north to south.
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning covering much of the area on Thursday, predicting that, while snowfall likely won’t reach significant totals over low ground, it could create trouble for some Britons.
The forecaster said a “band of rain, sleet and increasingly snow” would “push north” over the day, causing 2cm accumulations over low levels and between 2cm and 5cm on ground above 200 metres in the east and west Midlands, northeast and northwest England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Yorkshire and Humber.
The agency said areas elevated above 400 metres could see totals reach between 15cm and 25cm (six and 10 inches), with a host of potential risks.
Britons living in the warning area may also experience power cuts, and the Met Office has warned that some communities could become cut off by the falling snow.
Widespread travel delays and possible cancellations are expected to follow until 6am on Friday, February 9, with the potential for some people to become stranded on the roads.
