Wintry showers are expected to create icy conditions across all four UK nations from Sunday evening, forecasters have warned.
The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for ice cover in Northern Ireland, southern Scotland, northern England, north Wales and the Midlands, while hundreds of flood warnings are in place across the UK.
The warning is in place from 6pm on Sunday until 10am on Monday, warning that “winter rain” will cause “difficult driving” due to slippery surfaces.
In Hampshire, a main railway line collapsed in a massive landslide that left one track hanging in the air. The line from London to Basingstoke is expected to cause significant disruption after a 44m landslide on the embankment north-east of Hook station.
The damage left only two of the four-track railway operable, both of these tracks designed for London-bound trains only.
South Western Railway is advising customers to check before they travel and make alternative transport plans for journeys south or west of Basingstoke to London on Monday.
Network Rail Wessex’s route director, Mark Killick, said: “This is a major landslide and will have a huge impact on customers. The main line to Basingstoke is the backbone of our railway and there will be a knock-on effect on the route.
“We’re still assessing the damage and it’s hard to put a detailed timescale in place, but we know it will be at least a week. We need to stabilize the embankment, essentially stopping it from moving, and then rebuild the railway where it collapsed. .”
A Network Rail spokesman said the embankment was made from a mixture of London soil and other local soil which had become saturated after heavy rain throughout the day.
The Met Office has issued a long yellow warning for snow and ice across northern Scotland from 2pm on Sunday until 10am on Wednesday.
It said: “A few centimeters of snow is possible at low levels over a given 24-hour period, with the possibility of 10cm-15cm above 200 metres, particularly in parts of the Highlands. Ice will be an additional threat.”
There may be areas of snow on untreated roads, sidewalks and bike paths, and residents are urged to use caution as some roads and railroads may be affected with long travel times.
The forecaster said: “By Sunday most of the UK will be in a northerly airflow, with low temperatures spreading south overnight.
“In the north there will be more low-level rain in the form of cold and snow. A few showers further south and west, and perhaps more persistent snow on Monday night, may also turn to sleet and snow, mainly on higher ground such as the Brecon Beacons, Exmoor and Dartmoor.
“It will be cold overnight from Monday night, with overnight temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius [32F] In much of the UK. Temperatures can reach as low as -10°C in sheltered glens or on snowy high ground in Scotland.”
More than 100 flood warnings were issued across the UK.
Earlier, flood defenses including boarding were deployed in York city centre. City of York Council said it was taking steps to keep the area “safe and open” as it urged visitors to plan their journeys in advance.
Rescue workers were seen navigating floodwaters using boats after the River Ouse burst its banks in central York.
The Environment Agency had issued 98 flood warnings and 180 flood alerts in England as of Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has issued three flood warnings for areas of the Scottish Borders, Tayside and Ayrshire and Arran, as well as two light warnings for west central Scotland.
