UK weather – Brits to be hit by -2C bone chiller three days in a row as icy plunge grips after week of snow and ice
AN icy plunge will grip the nation for another three days, the Met Office has warned.
After a week of snow and ice disruption the cold snap shows no sign of easing, with temperatures struggling to rise above freezing.
Yesterday, the mercury dropped to a bitter -10.4C in Drumnadrochit in the Scottish Highlands – the coldest night of 2023 so far.
And, despite some sunshine, it won’t feel much warmer over the weekend, according to the Met Office.
Overnight temperatures will hover around freezing for much of the UK, rising to highs of just 7C during the day.
But Met Office forecasters say it will feel much chillier thanks to a “brisk breeze” allowing “frost to regain control”.
The service’s weather charts show Brits can expect -4C in Aberystwyth, -3C in Dumfries and -1C in Cambridge tonight.
The tomorrow, the same areas will see minimal rises to 6C, 4C and 4C respectively, while Sunday appears much the same.
The Met Office has issued four yellow alerts for ice across western and north-eastern England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Scottish Highlands.
It warns of “challenging travelling conditions” and the potential for an inch of snow over high ground until at least 10am today, though more announcements could come.
Meteorologist Alex Deakin said: “[There are] signs of things slowly turning milder over the next few days but it’s still cold out there at the moment.
“The snow is easing but we still have potentially some slippery conditions so we do have warnings for ice in place.
“For most Friday is going to be a sparkling day with a frosty start but then plenty of sunshine.
“There will be a brisk breeze blowing in a few showers, maybe with some sleet and snow mixed in, across the east coast of England, perhaps southeast Scotland, but very hit and miss.
“Over Saturday and Sunday, mild air will try slowly to edge its way across parts of the country but it is a slow process.
“The cold will persist across East Anglia and the South East.”
The UK has been plagued by travel disruption thanks to the glacial conditions this week.
Roads were blocked, Manchester Airport shut down and dozens of schools closed.
A level three cold weather alert was also issued by the UK Health Security Agency, warning of conditions that “could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services”.
And a major incident was declared in Somerset due to the risk of flooding across the county.