3rd December - Today's News: Altnaharra -21.2c As Freeze Continues

And the big freeze continues with still no further snow in Evesham apart from a few odd flakes - much of Tuesday's fall has gone in town though sheltered spots still retain a covering.

Down to -7.1c this morning, but that's nothing to Altnaharra in Sutherland this week where it fell to -21.2c on Wednesday morning and there was a maxima of -14.0c yesterday. Last night it fell to -20.1c in Braemar.

Ice warning across Scotland as temperatures drop with the Scotland rail network crippled by weather.

Travel chaos hits UK after more heavy snow - over a foot fell in many parts of the SE and South on Wednesday night.

Snow leaves commuters stranded

So far, wind prevents heavy snow in Wales

Jersey's Christmas festival launch cancelled after snow

But amid all the misery, Britons enjoy the lighter side of the big freeze

Two elderly people die in own gardens in Cumbria

In N.I., schools closed and travel disrupted in heavy snow this morning with the weather across UK to become much, much colder. However it will warm up a bit on Saturday, before the next Arctic plunge sets in on Sunday!

Why did Britain slide into snow chaos again? Partly because the public cannot cope with snow and are never, ever, prepared for it.

So AA calls for army to help 'get Britain moving' through snowy weather.

And it's not just us other European countries battle weather chaos - and cope no better with the snow and ice than we in Britain do, whatever the media may try and say. Indeed, similar problems too in the US as NY Thruway to review evac plans after snowstorm left hundreds of motorists stranded for up to 14 hours.

In the Republic, there are poor road conditions after compacted snow re-freezes

Eurostar says channel tunnel snow cancellations to persist over the weekend

However a satellite image of The UK covered in snow is a tad misleading since white clouds obscure the areas which have no proper snow cover

For sports fans, freezing weather takes heavy toll on weekend fixtures - though no such problem in Adelaide where the Aussies were all out for 245 on the first day of the second Ashes test.

And in other news:

2010 sets new record temperatures

Israel forest fire kills dozens near Haifa

We've discovered the first known microbe on Earth able to thrive and reproduce using arsenic - a substance deadly to all other life on Earth.

Hurricanes and other swirling natural phenomena explained

Good news: the Antarctic ozone hole is smallest in five years

Team of researchers find evidence of fire in Antarctic ice- that's emissions from fires elsewhere in the world, not the ice itself!