Snow and ice for London and south east: Britain faces -7C

A girl rides a pony in the Botanical Garden during heavy snowfall in Moscow, Russia. Photo / AP

One man was killed and about 2000 trees collapsed because of heavy snowfall in Moscow, the Mayor of the Russian capital, Sergei Sobyanin, says.

The snowfall in Moscow has been the heaviest since the beginning of the weather records, said meteorologists.

More than 150 flights were delayed at the three major airports in Moscow, according to the Interfax news agency.

Thousands of city workers have been working to keep roads and the subway open.

However, the heavy snow and freezing rain in the Russian capital caused many roads to be under water and left pedestrians struggling through slush.

The severe weather also triggered mass power failures in hundreds of towns in the region around Moscow.

Heavy snowfall also led to traffic disturbances in several Spanish provinces.

By early today, 18 streets had been temporarily closed, and 90 others required the use of snow chains, El Mundo reported, citing the street transportation authority.

Madrid was hit particularly hard.

Civil defence authorities and rescue services were trying to prevent a repeat of an incident in the first week of January, when hundreds of drivers were forced to spend the night in their vehicles after heavy snowfall blocked their way.

Snow and ice are expected for London and the south east as Britain is urged to brace for one of coldest weeks of winter.

Most of the population is likely to see a few flakes of the white stuff over the coming days, with temperatures set to plummet to minus 7C in some areas.

The Met Office have issued a series of weather warnings, forecasting snow and ice from Monday and throughout the week.

Conditions are likely to lead to road and rail disruption as well as an "increased risk of injury from slips, trips and falls", the amber warnings state.

Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said the first full week of February will probably be "one of our coldest weeks of this winter so far".

Britain is brrrr-aced for its coldest week of the winter as Monday morning commuters will be hit by widespread snow and an icy -7C blast https://t.co/G0biyTCe4Q

— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) February 4, 2018

- DPA, PA, AAP