UK weather – Met Office warns overnight snowstorms could bring chaos on icy roads today as -10C big freeze hits Britain

SNOWSTORMS are set to hit the south today with warnings of chaos on icy roads as a -10C big freeze begins.

The Met Office has issued snow warnings for Brighton, Chichester, Canterbury and Dover between 2am and 8am this morning.

Scotland should brace for snow and ice with a yellow weather warning issued for the south.

Ice alerts include parts of Northern Ireland, northern England, northern Wales and the Midlands.  

Forecasters advise there is a chance of travel delays on roads.

Commuters should be prepared for disruption to travel plans with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel.

Wintry showers are expected to create icy conditions across the UK from Sunday evening, the weather bureau says.

The mercury is set to fall as low as -2C in London, while it has temperatures could dip to -1C in Cardiff.

Edinburgh and Belfast residents are expected to feel the brunt of -3C conditions, while parts of the Scottish Highlands are set to see -10C.

Temperatures are also set to dip to -4C on Tuesday in Kendal, Cumbria, and Dumfries in Scotland, Met Office maps show.

The meteorologists' five day forecast suggests the weather will be "turning colder with increasingly wintry showers from the north".

Tonight it expects further snow showers in the north with a widespread frost.

And from tomorrow it will be cold, particularly in the north, with some sharp overnight frosts throughout the week.

A warning for ice covering much of Scotland and the north-west and north-east of England suggests there could be "icy surfaces and high-ground snow leading to some difficult travelling conditions in places" this morning.

Expected "frequent wintry" snow showers have also seen the Met Office issue a lengthy warning for snow and ice for northern Scotland from today through to Wednesday.

The Met Office said: "A few centimetres of snow are likely at low levels over a given 24-hour period, with the potential for 10-15cm above 200 metres, especially across parts of the Highlands. Ice will be additional hazard, especially Tuesday night."

Residents are urged to take care as there may be some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths and some roads and railways are likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services.

The forecaster said: "By Sunday most of the UK will be in the northerly airflow, with lower temperatures spreading further south overnight.

"Showers will fall increasingly as sleet and snow in the north, even to lower levels.

"Some showers further South and West, and perhaps a more persistent spell of rain overnight into Monday, could also turn to sleet and snow mainly over high ground such as the Brecon Beacons, Exmoor and Dartmoor.

"Overnight frost will become more widespread by Monday night, with overnight temperatures below 0°C across much of the UK.

"Temperatures could get down to -10°C in sheltered glens, or across high ground areas of Scotland where there is lying snow."

The Met Office said that showers would continue on Sunday, "falling as snow in the north".

Large parts of Cumbria have already been covered ahead of a freezing week for the UK.

Snow ploughs were seen driving through the town on Nenthead to clear the roads on Sunday morning.