The CairnGorm Mountain ski centre in the Highlands will be closed for the day – because of too much snow.

After a two-day blizzard, the operators have had to bring in huge caterpillar vehicles and snow blowers to try to clear the approach road and the slopes.

Colin Matthew, operations manager at the centre near Aviemore, said roads were blocked by 15ft snow drifts.

January is on course to be the coldest for 37 years after temperatures in the first week of the month averaged minus 2.1 degrees.

Britain has not seen a snow-free day for four weeks, forecasters said.

Even discounting snowfall on Scottish mountains, it has snowed somewhere every day since December 17.

While a front of milder weather threatens to melt away the snow with the country returning to near normal conditions early next week – the snow and freezing temperatures could return by the following weekend.

Motorists have been warned to expect “dire” conditions on the roads after councils were ordered to cut their grit use by a half in an effort to prevent supplies running out entirely.

The drastic rationing will lead to accidents and long delays, motoring groups said, with more snow forecast for and the big freeze expected to continue well into next week.

Commuters are expected to wake up to another day of travel chaos today after further snowfall and plunging temperatures overnight.

While many schools have reopened ahead of crucial exams and train services are getting back to normal, some roads remain treacherous as councils facing grit and salt shortages are forced to prioritise.

A total of 28 people are now thought to have died because of the cold weather, and hospitals say they are overwhelmed with patients suffering from broken bones and respiratory problems brought on by the freezing conditions.

The Met Office has issued another severe weather warning for heavy snow in parts of Britain and in Kent the Army is on standby to deal with the latest disruption

Fresh falls will increase the pressure on dwindling grit supplies across the country as local authorities have already been forced to cut their use of grit salt by a quarter to help conserve supplies.

The UK has suffered its coldest night of the winter so far with temperatures plummeting to -22.1C (-7.8F) in Sutherland in the Highlands.

Overnight temperatures of -10C (14F) were widespread, leaving commuters again battling icy roads and pavements amid “stretched” road salt supplies.

Many schools remain shut, with rail and air travel again hit by delays. Fresh snow is falling in eastern England.

The weekend could be colder, as another week of Arctic conditions is forecast.

Temperatures as low as 1F (-17C) are causing a new round of disruption in Britain’s big freeze, turning heavy snow to ice and leaving at least 8,000 homes without power.

Arctic winds dragged overnight temperatures well below freezing point – even in city centres – turning snow to ice and making roads and pavements treacherous.

Hundreds of schools will remain closed today, thousands of workers will spend a second day at home and hospitals are expected to cancel more non-emergency operations.

Six more days of snow are forecast for parts of Britain, with roads already blocked and hundreds of schools closed in Britain’s longest cold snap since 1981.

Up to 10 inches (25cm) of snow fell across parts of London and the Home Counties overnight – with a further six inches (15cm) expected in those same areas by midday – adding to blizzards that affected northern England on Tuesday.

The heaviest snowfall in almost 50 years is hitting parts of Britain as Arctic weather brought nationwide chaos.

As the country was plunged into one of its worst winters for decades, the Met Office issued an emergency weather warning for all counties of the UK.

The South, including London and the Home Counties, were expected to bear the brunt of the snowfall with emergency services warning they are already struggling to cope with the increasingly bitter conditions.

Motoring organisations have predicted a “Black Monday” which could see a record number of breakdowns on the treacherous roads and motorways.

Large parts of Northern England and Scotland were already struggling to cope with up to nine inches of snow, but heavy falls are also expected in London and the southeast over the next two days.

In addition the country will receive a further arctic blast with temperatures dropping as low as minus 15 in some northern parts and minus 12 elsewhere.

The cold weather has claimed the life of a homeless man in Asturias

Winter is officially here on Monday, but much of Spain has already suffered the effects of wintery conditions with sub-zero temperatures across much of the country on Sunday, and even snow on the beach in San Sebastián, in the north. A homeless man was found dead on a street in Asturias on Saturday morning, a victim to the low temperatures affecting the principality.

Travellers are facing severe transport disruption as heavy snow falls across much of the UK, with south-east and north-east England worst affected.

The Met Office issued severe warnings for heavy snowfall in London, south-east and east England, as well as north-east England and East Midlands.

Up to 20cm of snow is possible in Kent, Sussex, Surrey, London and East Anglia, with gale-force winds causing drifts.