Rod Dennis, RAC spokesperson, said: “Monday was our busiest day for breakdowns this winter so far, with our teams taking more calls from members than at any other point in the last 12 months. With cold conditions persisting, we expect today to be almost as busy with our patrols working incredibly hard to rescue our members and get people moving.

“Anyone unfortunate enough to break down should expect a longer wait than normal this week. It’s therefore more important than ever that drivers ensure they have an emergency breakdown kit in the boot – extra warm clothes including waterproofs, sturdy shoes, some food and drink and a fully charged power bank to keep a mobile phone charged up.

“With hundreds of flood warnings still in force, especially across central and southern parts of the UK, drivers need to remain vigilant. They should never drive through standing water unless they can be totally sure all of it is shallow, which can be impossible on roads that aren’t perfectly flat.

“If in any doubt about the water’s depth, turn around and find another safer route. We also urge everyone to obey road closures which are in place to keep them away from floodwater.”

A woman, who lives near the Proctors Pleasure Park in Leicestershire, called the flooding around Barrow upon Soar “unprecedented”.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, told the PA news agency: “I’ve never seen it as bad as this. It flooded last January but not like this.

“They put in new flood defences – it used to flood all the time then it stopped, but this is unprecedented.

“It’s a flood plain, that’s what it’s for but they build houses on it and nobody will acknowledge it or accept it.”

A yellow warning for snow and ice came into effect across Northern Ireland at 3pm yesterday and is expected to remain in place until midday today.

Police have reported that several roads are impassable due to severe weather conditions, with numerous schools closing earlier because of heavy snowfall.

A widespread sharp frost and icy patches are anticipated overnight, potentially making this morning’s commute more challenging.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has advised drivers to exercise caution on icy roads across the region, while some bus services have also been disrupted.

At least 101 flood warnings are in force across England and more rain, sleet and snow are on the way, risking further disruption.

The Environment Agency has urged people to remain vigilant over the coming days as flood warnings are still in place and a mixture of melting snow and saturated catchments could lead to further disruption in parts of England.

There is the potential for another frontal system to move in from the southwest on Wednesday, bringing further snow and ice. A Yellow Warning is currently in place to cover this.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Mike Silverstone, explained: “There is a chance of a further spell of rain, sleet and snow moving in from the southwest on Wednesday to affect some southern parts of the UK.”

“Whilst not all those in the warning area may be affected, it is possible that that 2-5 cm of snow may accumulate fairly widely. Whether this system will brush the south of the UK or miss us altogether still remains a little uncertain, but we’ll continue to assess this over the next day or two. Weather warnings may well be updated, so it’s important people stay up to date with the forecast.”

At least 300 properties have flooded and 41,000 have been bolstered by flood protections across England since New Year’s Eve, according to estimates by the Environment Agency.

Snowmelt has brought further disruption to parts of England, particularly in the Midlands, following the heavy rainfall over the New Year. It saw significant river and surface water flooding across the North West of England and Yorkshire, the Environment Agency said.

Floods minister Emma Hardy said: “My sympathies go out to the people, businesses and communities impacted by the recent flooding across the country.

“I want to express my heartfelt thanks for the vital work that the Environment Agency and emergency services are doing to keep people safe. People must continue to follow their advice and sign up for flood warnings.”

The coldest nights of the year are expected this week, with temperatures potentially reaching -14C tonight in the North East of England and Scotland.

The Met Office has forecast a further drop of 2C tomorrow, with temperatures expected to plunge to -16C in places.

A fresh weather warning is set to come into force as it is revealed that 300 properties have flooded across England since New Year’s Eve.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow covering southern counties of England from 9am until midnight, which could prove disruptive.

Between two and five centimetres of snow could accumulate fairly widely and as much as 10cm over higher ground, with the warning stretching as far as south London.

Weather warnings issued on Tuesday for snow and ice covering the Midlands, parts of North Wales, the North West of England, west and northern parts of Scotland as well as Northern Ireland remain in place until midday.

Some roads and railways are likely to be affected, and there could be icy patches on untreated roads, the forecaster said.