UK weather – Brits hit by ice warning as -3C plunge after deadly Storm Arwen carnage kills three

ICE warnings are in force for much of the UK as Storm Arwen rips through the nation.

The killer conditions have sent temperatures tumbling and brought gusts of almost 100mph.

PASnow covers fields and hills surround St Mary The Virgin Church in the Arkengarthdale, North Yorkshire[/caption]

NNPJoe Harris and daughter Rosie, 7, have fun sledging downhill on the Town Moor in Newcastle[/caption]

Duncan McGlynnEdinburgh wakes up to a flurry of snow as part of Storm Arwen[/caption]

SWNSWild swimmers take a dip in snow covered waters in Winchburgh, West Lothian[/caption]

Snow has also blanketed much of Britain as the icy plunge takes hold.

And the “cold and frosty” weather is forecast to stick around – for up to two weeks.

Yellow weather warnings for ice today cover central, eastern and southern England, and north east Scotland.

They stretch from as far north as Aberdeen down to Southampton on the Hampshire coast.

The conditions are expected to make for “tricky travel” until at least 10am tomorrow.

Arwen has already claimed the lives of at least three people, including headteacher and dad-of-four Francis Lagan.

The “much-loved” principal was killed when a tree fell on his car in Antrim, Northern Ireland, on Friday.

A 35-year-old driver also died under similar circumstances on the B977 in Aberdeenshire around 5.45pm on Friday, while a third person was fatally crushed by a falling tree in Ambleside, Cumbria.

The mercury plunged to -1.3C in Scotland last night as the bone-shaking chill took over.

And the top temperature anywhere in the UK was just 8.5C in Cromer, Norfolk.

It is set to remain just as chilly today and into next week, clocking -3C in the Midlands, Yorkshire and Northumberland.

High winds are also expected to continue to cause carnage after destroying several buildings and cars as speeds approach 100mph.

Over the weekend in Brizlee Wood, Northumberland, windspeeds hit a whopping 98mph – closely followed by Berry Head, Devon, where 92mph gusts were recorded.

In Orlock Head, County Down, winds of 87mph were noted. Meanwhile, gusts hit 81mph in Aberporth, Dyfed, and 79mph in The Needles on the Isle of Wight.

During the chaos, around 150,00 homes have been left without power.

Last night, Scotland had 75,000 homes cut off, while England had 55,000 and Wales had 11,000.

Summing up the damage caused by the first named storm of the season, the Met Office said the strong winds and a mixture of rain, sleet and snow led to “power cuts, transport disruption, trees fell, there were large coastal waves and blizzards affected some hills”.

It is now feared snow could fall for two weeks straight in the killer storm’s aftermath, lasting well into December.

WX Charts show the wintery weather will continue next Friday affecting England, Scotland and Wales.

And Brits will be braced for weeks of cold conditions – as more snow is currently also forecast for December 13.

This means that snow could fall – potentially causing transport and travel issues – for the next fortnight.

PAA motorist walks along the snow-covered A515 near Biggin, in the Peak District, Derbyshire[/caption]

NNPOlive the dog has fun playing in the snow in Lobley Hill, Gateshead[/caption]

PASnow covered fields at the village of Stainton, North Yorkshire, amid freezing conditions[/caption]

WXCHARTSA map shows further snow next Friday affecting England, Scotland and Wales[/caption]

One shocking image shows a police van crushed under a tree in Aberdeenshire

Traffic stranded on the A635 near Saddleworth in Oldham

The Tan Hill Inn in Yorkshire – Britain’s highest pub – has been buried in enormous snowdrifts

LNPCars were seen battling through the snow in Sheffield[/caption]

MARGARET MCLAUGHLIN PICTURES / MCLAUGHLINPRESS.COM 07711932889 NO UNAUTHORISED USESnow falling yesterday in Northern Ireland, where a driver was killed by a falling tree[/caption]