Government health warning as Britain enters a deep freeze for the week with temperatures dropping to -10C as flooding causes chaos on the roads and railways

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Britain will be plunged into a cold snap over the next fortnight as temperatures drop below -10C, with many parts of the country already hit by snow and flooding affecting the roads and railways.

Up to two inches of snow is expected to fall over Scotland today - while there will be more flurries of the white stuff towards the end of the week, particularly in the East, where it might be cold enough to accumulate.

Forecasters expect temperatures to fall as low as -10C in the North of England and -5C in the South from tomorrow, before biting wind and widespread frosts make it feel particularly cold on Saturday and Sunday.

The Government has a level two cold weather alert in place until the weekend which warns of an 80 per cent chance of severe cold weather in the next five days that will present increased health risks to vulnerable patients. 

The rising sun lights up Selsey Lifeboat station in West Sussex this morning as Britain prepares for another cold snap

The sun rises behind the lifeboat station in Sussex today as the Met Office issued a snow warning for parts of Scotland

The Met Office has a snow warning for the Highlands today while temperatures elsewhere struggled to reach double figures

The alert warns of a plunge in temperatures from tomorrow with sharp overnight frosts and low daytime temperatures, along with brisk easterly winds and a risk of snow mainly in eastern and northern counties.

Flooding caused the railway between Girvan and Stranraer in Scotland to shut today, while it also blocked roads including the A3058 in Summercourt, Cornwall, and Alconbury Ford near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. 

After a wet start to the working week, the Met Office has warned that the mercury could drop overnight to minus double figures in rural areas tomorrow.

Meteorologists are predicting that nowhere in the UK is likely to ‘escape’ the freezing temperatures, which will come after rain caused localised flooding in parts of Cornwall, Northumberland and Cambridgeshire today.

Over the weekend, a cold airstream from Scandinavia is likely to mean snow showers will continue to hit the East and North East, with a chance they could spread into western areas.

The Government has a level two cold weather alert in place which warns of increased health risks to vulnerable patients

Met Office forecaster Emma Sharples said: ‘Overnight from Wednesday there are likely to be widespread frosts, with towns and cities down to freezing temperatures.

‘In rural parts, it could well be down to around -5C as far south as Oxfordshire and even into minus double figures in some parts of the north.

‘By Thursday and Friday, we could well be seeing flurries of snow in the north of England that will make things look pretty. While in some parts it might be cold enough for the snow to accumulate.

‘More western areas will take a little longer to get to those freezing temperatures, but I don’t think anywhere is likely to escape the cold.’

Long-term forecasts predict that February is likely to be cold but fairly settled, with lots of dry days and sunny spells. The North West can also expect some slightly milder and wetter weather towards the end of the month.