The cold snap has seen daytime temperatures plummet four or five degrees lower than average for February - traditionally the coldest month of the year.
Forecasters said Saturday will see a cold front sweep south and east across the UK from the west, resulting in snow where slightly milder air meets cold air.
The mercury - which hovered between 1C-4C yesterday - is forecast to drop considerably today with some areas remaining below freezing in the daytime and temperatures as low as -10C possible tonight.
Aisling Creevey, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "Today is set to be bitterly cold, with a few snow flurries in the east of England.
"There will be maximum temperatures of 3C and 4C but many places won't get above freezing.
"Overnight will be very cold, with temperatures down to -8C, maybe -9C and -10C in some places.
"As we go into Friday we are looking at some snow showers affecting the eastern part of England, mainly in the south."
Ms Creevey said a 24-hour period from Saturday would see much of the country experience snow as a front moves in from the west.
She said: "Scotland could see between 5 and 10cm of snow on Saturday, and there could be 2-5cm across England and Wales.
"But South-west England is likely to see rain rather than snow."
Respite from the big freeze is not expected until Monday, when milder temperatures are expected, along with frost overnight.
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Hey,....... let's be careful out there.
Let's hope it all falls on the South East-as we know the world will end the moment the first flake falls on the London area.
Should read, "Snow on the way as temeratures rise". As milder wet weather from the west is pushing the cold air East. Just saying.
gilbert.... Ha ha ha!
Please........... can we have loads of Snow !
Does that mean we see more of Lucy Verasamy more on ITV ?.
Let's see before panicking!
Help the old people if you can and iff the snow materialises.
Just bought snow boots for work - last few reduced to Ten Quid at a certain german supermarket!! :o)
Snow in Winter..? Who;d have thought it.
More media scaremongering. I'll wager there will be nothing more than a stiff frost in Manchester.
-30 C tonight
What do you expect ? It's called winter !
My wife says that that in Morrison's on Chorley Old Road she talked to a woman, who had spoken to a man whose mother-in-law claims that she has a friend who saw a gritter at work here in the Soviet Republic of Bolton. The big Bolton Global Warming Conference the other year was held in October, not December, January or February for obvious reasons.