A bitter and persistent cold snap has tightened its grip on the United Kingdom and much of Europe, prompting weather authorities to extend official warnings. The Met Office has prolonged its alerts for frost and ice across the UK into the coming week, while a plunge in temperatures is forecast for central, western, and south-western parts of the European continent.
Frozen Landscapes from Liverpool to London
The freeze has transformed familiar scenes into winter wonderlands and hazards. In the UK, roads in Liverpool's Lee Park were blanketed under a layer of snow, creating treacherous conditions for early Monday commuters on 5 January 2026. The iconic fountains in London's Trafalgar Square were partially frozen, a clear sign of the sub-zero temperatures gripping the capital.
Further north, the cold has been particularly intense. Aberdeen in Scotland has been in the grip of bitterly cold weather, with some areas already recording accumulations of up to 10cm of snow. In Northern Ireland, families made the most of the conditions in Glenariffe, where children were seen being pulled on sleds.
Widespread Disruption Across the Channel
The chilling conditions are far from confined to the British Isles. Storm Anna swept across the Netherlands, bringing strong winds and heavy snowfall that left bicycles buried in Nijmegen. In the Austrian Tyrol, the historic stone ruins of Ehrenberg Castle stood sentinel on a rocky hilltop, surrounded by snow-dusted evergreen forests near Reutte.
The freeze has reached major cities on the continent. In Paris, a woman was photographed walking through a snow-covered area below the Sacré-Cœur Basilica at Butte Montmartre. Meanwhile, in Munich, residents embraced the weather by skating on the frozen Nymphenburg canal in front of the majestic Nymphenburg Palace.
Ongoing Warnings and Forecast
With the Met Office warnings extended, the public is being urged to remain cautious. The forecast indicates that the plunge in temperatures is set to continue, affecting a wide swathe of Europe. From the snowy seafront in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, to the icy Wicklow Gap mountain pass in Ireland, the evidence of this widespread cold snap is unmistakable.
As the week progresses, authorities are monitoring the situation closely, with the extended warnings highlighting the significant risk of ice-related accidents and travel disruption. The enduring frost in London's Richmond Park serves as a stark reminder that this winter freeze shows little sign of a rapid thaw.
