In pictures: Snow hits the UK as cold blast sees temperatures plummet below freezing

When will it next snow?

Snow has hit parts of the UK, with people in London and the south east waking up to ice, sleet and cold showers as Britons prepare for a cold snap.

Temperatures dipped to -8C at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands while weather conditions are expected to be colder than average for this time of year for much of the week.

The Met Office issued a yellow warning for ice across southern England and South Wales, which will last from 3pm on Monday to 3am on Tuesday.

An aerial view of Leeds Castle covered in snow in Maidstone, Kent, (AFP via Getty Images)

Southern parts of the UK are set for “ice and small amounts of snow” which could cause icy patches on some roads and lead people to fall on slippery surfaces.

Met Office spokesperson Stephen Dixon said the sudden change in conditions is due to cold air from the north and east replacing wet westerly air.

Heavy snow coats New Jersey as winter storm hits tri-state area (FOX5 NY)

He said that clear conditions and some sunny spells are expected, while 1-2cm of snow could fall on some higher ground such as Dartmoor.

Mr Dixon said: “It is a cold regime and that theme continues for much of the week

“Temperatures through the week will remain below average for this time of year. If you do have to travel in icy conditions plan your route, check for delays and road closures.”

A man walks dog through a snow flurry in Lenham, Kent (PA)

An amber cold health alert (CHA) for the North West of England, the Midlands, the South West of England and the South East of England is also in place until noon on Friday.

Issued by the UK Health Security Agency, the amber alert means “cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time”.

There is also a yellow cold health alert in place for the North East of England, Yorkshire and the Humber, the East of England and London.

Snow covered rooftops in the village of Detling, Kent (PA)

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: “With the Met Office forecasting drops in temperature across the United Kingdom into next week, it is important to check in on the wellbeing of those most vulnerable to the cold.”

A pedestrian crosses a bridge during a snow shower near Maidstone (PA)

This comes just days after Storm Henk battered the UK with areas hit hard by flooding able to apply for thousands of pounds in government money to pay for recovery work and repairs.

More than 1,800 properties have flooded due to saturated ground, said the Environment Agency (EA), as it urged the public to “remain vigilant”.

On Monday afternoon, there were 139 flood warnings in place, where flooding is expected, and 144 flood alerts for southern parts of England, up through the Midlands and into Yorkshire.

A person on her mobile phone capturing images of the snow in Covent Garden in London (PA)

Mr Sunak sought to defend the Government’s record on flood protection as he spoke to the media in front of the fast-moving River Thames on Sunday.

He said: “We have over 1,000 Environment Agency personnel on the ground in local communities helping, over 200 pumps have been deployed.

“We’ve invested £5.2 billion in flood defences over the period in question – that’s a record sum, far more than we’ve done (previously); in the future that’s contributed to protecting over 300,000 homes.

A view over the village of Lenham in Kent following snowfall. (Gareth Fuller/PA Wire)

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the Government’s record on flood defences is “not good enough” as he toured streets being cleared up after last week’s deluge.

During a visit to Loughborough, Leicestershire, the opposition leader said he would set up a flood resilience task force to make sure preventative measures were in place before the winter flooding season.

Temperatures are expected to continue dropping, with warnings that Tuesday night could be even colder by potentially dropping to -9C in the Scottish Highlands, while daytime temperatures are not expected to top 6C in the south and 8C in the north.