Northern Ireland weather: More snow and ice as UK faces coldest week of the year

​But for some schoolchildren at least, it was good news, with seven schools in the north west and west of the province closed for ‘snow days’.

The wider UK forecast includes a danger to life flood warning after dozens of people were rescued by firefighters – with more rain, sleet and snow on the way.

The PSNI warned on Tuesday that roads in the Dungannon area were at one point impassable due to snow.

And the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for further snow and ice, valid until noon on Wednesday, affecting all six counties.

Kathryn Chalk, operational meteorologist with the Met Office, told the News Letter: “We have a snow and ice warning for Northern Ireland valid until noon Wednesday.

“Showers of rain and sleet near coasts, and snow inland, will continue to affect Northern Ireland on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

“Overnight, showers should become confined to coastal areas.”

With winds easing, last night was likely to be much colder than Monday night, bringing widespread frost and icy patches, she said.

Temperatures may dip to -6C overnight into Wednesday in rural sheltered spots, she said.

“On Wednesday it will be mostly dry but cold with some sunshine, but a chance of some freezing fog in the south. A few coastal wintry showers will persist with light winds.”

The maximum temperature today will be 2°C, she said.

“Thursday and Friday will be mainly dry and cold, with a few north coast showers at first and frost and patchy fog. Cloud and patchy rain will be preceded by some snow later on Friday or Saturday.”

While some parts of Northern Ireland escaped almost untouched yesterday, police said “all roads in the Dungannon area of Co Tyrone are impassable due to snow” at one point.

Translink warned yesterday that some routes in north Down were not working due to the weather, also impacting services from Ballymena to Carnlough.

Seven schools which enjoyed snow days yesterday were located in the Londonderry, Strabane, Omagh, Eglington and Claudy areas.

Trafficwatch NI warned motorists to avoid the Broad Road/Coleraine Mountain area of Limavady as heavy snowfall left a number of vehicles stuck in place.

It also warned that in Coleraine there were reports of a vehicle stuck in snow and icy conditions on the Broad Road and Windy Hill Road.

Meanwhile, a critical incident was declared by East Midlands Ambulance for the first time ever on Monday partly due to flooding.

Some 40 flood warnings, and 225 flood alerts were active across England yesterday.

The coldest nights of the year are expected this week, reaching minus 14C and minus 16C on Thursday and Wednesday nights in the north east of England and Scotland.