Warnings of travel disruption have been issued ahead of snow which is forecast to start falling in London during Friday's morning rush hour.
BBC meteorologist Peter Cockroft said much of London was likely to see between 2-5cm (1-2in) of snow during what would be a bitterly cold day.
Some train operators will run revised services and drivers have been advised to allow extra time for journeys.
Contingency plans for Tube services have also been put in place.
BBC Weather said snow would fall shortly after midnight in Wales and south-west England, spreading across central and southern England.
Amber alertSnow will begin to fall in London during the morning rush hour and start to ease off on Saturday morning, according to Mr Cockroft.
He said: "It will be bitterly cold overnight and feel even colder on Friday in the snow and the wind.
"Most of London is likely to see between 2-5cm (1-2in) of snow with as much as 7-10cm (3-4in) falling in some spots."
The Highways Agency has issued an amber alert and has warned motorists to be prepared for fresh falls of snow, heavy in places, on Friday morning.
Gritting on the south-west stretch of the M25 began at lunchtime on Thursday and its fleet of salt spreaders and snow ploughs are on stand-by.
Steve Crosthwaite, head of the agency's National Traffic Operations Centre, urged drivers to allow more time for making journeys in the morning.
He said: "During periods of severe weather we also suggest people consider whether their journey is essential."
'Ready to respond'He suggested delaying travel plans until conditions improve and to allow their winter fleet the chance to treat the roads.
South West Trains (SWT) has said it will be running a revised timetable throughout the day.
This will affect routes from London to Bournemouth and Weymouth, London to Salisbury and Portsmouth and London to Reading.
East Coast train company has lifted ticket restrictions for all journeys on its trains which arrive in, or depart from, King's Cross station in London after 10:00 GMT on Friday.
The Southeastern train company also advised passengers to make checks before setting out, warning: "Given the weather forecast, there may be disruption on some routes through the day."
Southern railways also plans to operate a "less frequent service on some routes between London and the south coast".
Passengers travelling to Heathrow and London City airports have been advised to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport.
A spokesperson for London City Airport said: "We have plans in place to deal with snow and our operational team is ready to respond should it become necessary."
Heathrow Airport has spent £36m on its Winter Resilience Programme since 2010 and now has 130 snow-clearing vehicles and equipment.
Transport for London said it was aware of the cold snap and had plans in place to keep the transport system and a network of key routes open throughout severe weather.
Meanwhile London Fire Brigade urged caution during the cold weather following two serious fires this week caused by householders trying to keep warm.
On Wednesday fire crews rescued an elderly man from a serious blaze in Wembley, north London, which is believed to have been caused by a halogen heater placed too close to flammable items.
Last week, firefighters dealt with a fire in Fulham, west London, thought to have been caused by an electric blanket that had been left on all weekend.
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