Temperatures were set to plunge in London on Tuesday, with highs of only 6C expected following days of unseasonably warm weather.
New Year’s Day was the warmest on record, hitting 16.2C in St James’s Park.
In stark contrast, tonight icy temperatures will grip the capital, with the mercury set to drop as low as 0C.
The Met Office forecast said: “It will be feeling much colder than recent days, with brisk winds developing.”
It added it will be “noticeably colder across the whole of the country”.
Flood warnings are also in place on Tuesday, forcing the Thames Barrier to close because river levels are expected to rise following spring tides from Putney Bridge to Teddington Weir.
Snow and ice are set to hit parts of the UK this week.
The Met Office issued yellow weather warnings for north Scotland — including Angus, Perth and Inverness. Delays to road, air and ferry transport should be expected amid the blizzards, the Met Office added.
“Frequent snow showers and icy stretches are expected, leading to some travel disruption, particularly for higher routes,” the forecast reported.
In the US, Joe Biden battled a severe snow storm yesterday when he became trapped on board Air Force One for 30 minutes with his staff.
The president, 79, faced delays as he touched down in Washington while ploughs were at work clearing the thick snow from the runway.
