The stunning picture, taken by helicopter shows the enormity and scale of the massive and ferocious storm from Siberia. The snowstorm was so big it dwarfed some of the city’s most iconic landmarks - including the Shard, which dominates the skyline at 1,000ft, and the snow completely covered Tower Bridge - as the Beast from the East displayed the awesome strength of Mother Nature. The picture, taken by the National Police Air Service for London was posted on their Twitter page at 4.27pm today and quickly went viral. The caption on the image read: “We spoke too soon! Snow showers over central London. They look pretty dramatic from here!!.. Where's the @TheShard gone!!??"

National Police Air Service The picture, taken by the National Police Air Service for London was posted on Twitter

Si Reed, @sitherkt tweeted: “Wow! Stunning shot. The end is near, Lol.” Ware’s me @Warenext tweeted: "Woooh…what film is this? Beast from the east fabulous…” The picture comes after heavy snowfall overnight caused major travel disruption and led to hundreds of schools in the UK being closed. The Met Office said several centimetres of snow had fallen in some parts overnight – with between 3cm and 4cm in Newcastle and Northumberland. Amber and yellow snow and ice warnings are in place across the North East, the Midlands, the East of England and the South East, the Met Office said, with delays, closures and stranded vehicles expected.

Getty Motorists faced widespread disruption throughout the country after the heavy snow fall

Rural communities could be cut off completely, with power cuts and disruption to mobile phone signals possible throughout Tuesday, it added. Three people were killed in a crash in Lincolnshire on Tuesday morning. The A15 was closed in both directions at Baston after the fatal collision involving a car and a lorry on the A15 in Lincolnshire at 6.15am on Tuesday. There were 20 collisions within three hours on Lincolnshire’s roads, including a school bus with 45 pupils on board, police said. The children were unharmed after their bus collided with a car and veered off the road near Deeping St James.

Snow pictures: Heavy snow hits UK overnight causing carnage Wed, February 28, 2018 Snow pictures: Heavy snow hits UK overnight – Snow pics from where YOU are. Play slideshow @CDDFRS 1 of 78 Very lucky lady who has been released by crews from Durham & Bishop Auckland Green

A man died and another person suffered life-threatening injuries after three crashes on the A47 in Cambridgeshire. Met Office meteorologist Emma Sillitoe said: “There will also be further disruption throughout the day as these showers become widespread across the country.” Conditions are not likely to improve for several days, with forecasters warning that snow will continue well into the week. Forecaster Frank Saunders added that parts of the country could see their “coldest spell of weather since at least 2013, and possibly since 1991”.

Getty Heavy snowfall overnight caused major travel disruption and led to hundreds of schools being closed