UK weather maps have predicted that a deeper countrywide chill is on the cards in the days to come, with the mercury set to edge its way even further below zero. Midwinter appears to have arrived early for much of the country over the last few days, pushing temperatures to unseasonal lows amid extensive snow , rain and wind. Pictures show that parts of the country covered to depths of several centimetres, and hundreds of schools have been forced to close due to impassable roads and heating