Parts of Britain experienced record low temperatures on Saturday night, including minus 17 degrees Celsius in Wales, forecasters said.
The figures were released as the country’s Met Office, Britain’s national forecaster, warned of more heavy snow to come.
“You are seeing some ridiculously low temperatures – it has been a bit like it is in the middle of Scandinavia,” said weather forecaster Michael Dukes.
The temperature in Llysdinam, near Llandrindod Wells in Wales, plunged to minus 17.3C – the principality’s lowest ever temperature for November and Britain’s coldest for the month since 1985.
The Met Office issued severe weather warnings on Sunday for large chunks of eastern and southern Scotland and eastern England, warning of heavy snowfalls.
Ireland also experienced heavy snow and Dublin airport was disrupted, with finance minister Brian Lenihan among those delayed as the weather made him late for crucial EU talks in Brussels on an international bailout for his country.
Drivers have been urged to be careful in badly hit areas, and roadside emergency firms in Britain reported a huge surge in calls for help.
The weather has also disrupted several sporting events. Dundee United’s match against Rangers in Scotland’s Premier League was abandoned and several FA Cup second-round fixtures were postponed.
Parts of Scotland and north-east England have already seen well over 30 centimetres of snow since the start of the cold snap last week, and forecasters said the flurries could reach London in the coming days.
Britain’s lowest ever recorded temperature in November was minus 23.3 Celsius in Braemar, in the Scottish Highlands, on November 14, 1919.
The unusual weather has been caused by high pressure over Greenland and low pressure in the Baltic, forcing cold winds from the north-east across Europe.
