Britain braced itself for major disruption as forecasters warned of heavy snow tomorrow.
Blizzards and strong winds are set to make conditions treacherous on the roads while motorists are being warned that heavy snow will arrive before the morning rush-hour.
Many places are expected to see 4-6 inches of snow fall with as much as 10 inches on higher ground.
Forecasts suggest daytime temperatures will struggle to get above freezing in many areas, with the wind chill making it feel even colder.
The Met Office has issued an amber severe weather warning for the East Midlands, north and south-west England, Wales, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber.
London Fire Brigade urged caution during the "Arctic blast," following two serious fires this week caused by families taking extreme measures to keep warm.
A government guided by common sense would respond to news that publicly owned Royal Mail has increased profits to £403 million by scrapping plans to flog off the service.