Large parts of the UK have been blanketed in snow as the country experienced its coldest March night since 2010.
Temperatures fell as low as -15.2C at Kinbrace in the Scottish Highlands overnight on Tuesday, dropping a further 0.2C in the morning as 14cm of snow was recorded at the nearby hamlet of Altnaharra.
Weather alerts for snow and ice extended almost all the way to England’s south coast on Wednesday, forcing flight cancellations and widespread school closures.
With the current Arctic blast set to intensify through the week, the national forecaster has warned that heavy snow and ice could lead to power cuts, loss of mobile phone coverage and for some communities to become inaccessible.
Both the UK Health Security Agency and National Highways, which manages England’s motorways and major A roads, have also issued separate warnings, cautioning respectively that the wintry conditions could pose a risk to vulnerable people’s health and cause dangerous driving conditions.
With many people awaking to snow for the first time this year, here are some of the most striking images captured by photojournalists of the wintry scenes across the country.
1. The Long Walk towards Windsor Castle
The gardens on either side of the iconic driveway leading to Windsor Castle – adorned only recently with floral tributes to the late Queen during her funeral procession – were rendered white on Wednesday.
2. Early-morning swimmers prepare to brave the sea
A group of swimmers were pictured at King Edward’s Bay, near Tynemouth in England’s North East, making their way across snow as they approached the water.
3. Swimmers gather to celebrate International Women’s Day
A large group gathered at King Edward’s Bay to mark International Women’s Day, entering the water underneath snowy clouds.
4. Snow forces lane closure on M5
Parts of the M5 near Taunton were reduced to two lanes due to the snow, with drivers in nearby Wiltshire warned by police only to make essential journeys due to the hazardous conditions.
5. Snow settles on Glastonbury Tor
Snow could be seen covering Glastonbury Tor, the hill embedded in centuries of legends, and the roofless St Michael’s Tower.
6. Sledging by the Blyth beach huts
A woman could be seen pulling a child on a sledge through the snow beside colourful beach huts at Blyth, on England’s North East coast.
7. Snow hits ‘Hogsmeade’
Snow was photographed at the historic Goathland train station in North Yorkshire, which was used to portary the Hogwarts Express station at Hogsmeade in the first Harry Potter film and Aidensfield Station in the now-defunct television series, Heartbeat.
8. Snow blankets Stevenage cemetery
Drone-captured photographs showed the geometric effect of the snow as it fell at the Almond Lane Cemetery in Stevenage.
9. Swimmers take sunrise dip in Scottish capital
Hundreds of women took a sunrise dip to celebrate International Women’s Day at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh, where the Met Office expects up to 20cm of snow to fall this week, and potentially double that amount on the Scottish capital’s seven hills.
10. Celebrating the snow
Amid the warnings of hazardous conditions, many were also seen enjoying the rare snowfall.
11. Snowfall coats Alnwick Castle
The snow cast a picturesque scene at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, another location used in the Harry Potter films to represent Hogwarts.
