Yellow weather warnings have been issued across the UK as extreme wind, snow and ice led to road closures and fallen trees.

The Met Office recorded winds of up to 65mph, causing wind warnings in the south of England, while the north had weather warnings for snow, sleet and ice.

The weather caused widespread disruption, with reports of sheds ripped from gardens, roofs coming off buildings and travel disruption.

The Queen Elizabeth II bridge at the Dartford Crossing was closed because of strong winds, while Highways England told drivers to expect delays on the M25 as traffic was being filtered into Kent via a tunnel usually used for Essex-bound traffic.

The Met office said overnight snow showers could lead to icy patches in the morning. Less than a fortnight ago, Britain saw some of the highest temperatures ever recorded in winter, but a Met Office spokesman said the latest weather was not unusual for this time of year.

In north London, people were evacuated from a building on Stoke Newington High Street in an incident described as “weather-related”. The roof of the building appeared to have collapsed and several bus routes were diverted for most of the day.

The strong winds also dislodged protective wrapping around Grenfell Tower. A member of the Grenfell United support group said it would be temporarily covered, with a permanent replacement put up later in the week.

A number of police services across the country confirmed exceptional numbers of phone calls in relation to fallen trees. They urged drivers to be vigilant.

The Woodhead Pass in the Pennines was closed after a collision in the snow, South Yorkshire police said. Leicestershire police reported that the right-hand lane of the M1 between junctions 22 and 23 was unsafe because of snowfall.

Kirkstone Pass in the Lake District was fully closed because of the hazardous weather conditions. Cumbria police said motorists should take care as snow and ice were reported in some parts of the county.

A Met Office spokesperson said the winds should settle down by Monday, but wet and windy weather would return on Tuesday and Wednesday, with further warnings for later in the week.