Coldest night in THREE YEARS on its way: Temperatures in Britain to plunge to -15C - lower than Mount Everest - before week of snow, ice and freezing conditions ahead

                           

Britain is braced for the coldest evening in three years tonight as temperatures are expected to plummet to -15C with a week of snow flurries and icy conditions ahead.

Severe yellow weather warnings for snow and icy conditions are in place for large parts of the country today and motorists have been warned that the freezing temperatures could cause rush-hour chaos.

The Met Office has forecast lows of -15C in areas of Scotland tonight – meaning it will be colder than Lukla, Nepal, the 2,900m-altitude village climbers pass en route to the summit of Mount Everest.

This would mean that it could be Britain's coldest night since the -15.6C in February 2012 at Holbeach, Lincolnshire. Temperatures have only dropped as low as -9C this year in the Highland village of Cromdale.

Met Office forecaster Krista Mitchell said: 'There are some very cold conditions forecast for tonight and the rest of the week. This is because of cold air coming from the Arctic.

'We could see the coldest night in three years tonight. Motorist should check conditions because travelling because of the icy conditions.'

The severe weather warning for ice continues into Monday for Northern Ireland and snow is expected on Tuesday in Northern parts of the country.

The RAC is braced for a 50 per cent increase in breakdowns in freeze-hit regions and motorists have been urged to pack an emergency kit. 

Simon Williams, a spokesman for the RAC, said: 'Cold weather creates a giant spike in drivers running into problems.