UK snow - live updates: Weather latest as Arctic air blast after Storm Caroline causes hundreds of schools to close across Britain
Temperatures plunge as 500 homes in Scotland left without power overnight
Parts of the UK woke up to snow on Friday morning as forecasters warned up to 20cm (8in) could fall in some regions.
Temperatures plunged across the UK as Storm Caroline brought winds of up to 90mph to northern Scotland and left an Arctic air flow in its wake.
About 8cm of snow had already fallen in Aviemore, in the Scottish Highlands, by dawn on Friday, while parts of Northern Ireland, Wales and areas to the west of the Pennines had also seen a covering.
Forecasters said snow was likely to become more widespread throughout the day, and a yellow weather warning was in place for ice and snow across much of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and parts of northern and western England.
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Met Office meteorologist John West said: “We saw a fairly consistent stream of snow showers overnight, and there will be a constant feed throughout the day and into Friday.
“We could see some fairly significant accumulations. Broadly speaking we're looking at 2cm to 5cm, but in more exposed areas we could see 10cm to 20cm.
“It will also be bitterly cold, with highs of 2C or 3C outside those snow showers. But the wind chill is going to make it feel sub-zero.”
Urquhart Castle, which sits beside the Loch Ness, will close early today due to the snow, but at least it looks rather pretty.
Here are 12 tips for staying safe while driving in the wind and snow, provided by the Met Office.
More than 350 schools are closed and hundreds of homes are without power in the West Midlands. People in Shropshire are also being warned not to drive unless absolutely necessary.
Western Power Distribution has a map showing the power cuts affecting the Midlands, the South West and Wales.
The AA reports that multiple car accidents have occurred on the A55 in north Wales due to "hazardous driving conditions". A lane was closed to prevent any further incidents.
Airline passengers have been delayed at Belfast City Airport after its de-icing machine broke down. Several flights in and out of the airport have been postponed or cancelled as heavy snow is dumped across Northern Ireland.
Unsurprisingly, quite a few passengers are far from happy about the flight cancellations at Belfast City Airport.
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