Britain’s icy awakening: Coldest night this winter brings warnings of temperatures below -20C and icy conditions in some UK areas, followed by warmer air moving in from the southwest

Brits will wake up to a frosty morning after sub-zero temperatures iced parts of the country in what was expected to be the coldest night of winter so far. 

Temperatures were expected to plummet close to -20C yesterday as Britons prepared with their jumpers and scarfs for one of the chilliest nights in January.

A widespread hard frost was forecast to blanket the country this morning, as snow and ice is anticipated to wreak havoc across Britain. 

Gritters were out in full force yesterday as an icy grip took hold of the country wit commuters facing another day of travel chaos. 

Scot Rail warned people to take ‘extra care’ when travelling after -16C temperatures were forecast in the Scottish Highlands. 

Meanwhile, National Highways cancelled overnight closures on the A5 near Milton Keynes due to the freezing cold preventing the works from going ahead.

Warmer days are on the horizon as milder air is forecast to sweep in from the southwest throughout the morning. 

But the warmer breeze will be short-lived as the system will make ‘limited progress’ according to the Met Office. 

Patches of rain, sleet and snow are set to fall across parts of southwest Britain, however it is likely that it will be confined to high ground. Risk of icy surfaces remain in place. 

The rest of the UK is anticipated to enjoy a bright and dry day – despite temperatures remaining cold and some freezing fog patches.  

Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen, said yesterday: ‘Another very cold night is expected tonight with temperatures dipping as low as -16°C where we have lying snow in Scotland and northern England. 

‘Temperatures will also be well below freezing across much of the UK so there is a continued risk of ice overnight and through Friday morning’s rush hour.

‘Milder air will attempt to move into the UK from the southwest on Friday morning, heralding the end of this impactful cold spell. 

‘Increasing cloud and light rain, perhaps preceded by a little snow, will begin to affect northwestern then northern parts of the UK through the weekend. 

‘Here, temperatures will be back to around average by Sunday, and on Monday it’ll be much milder, with temperatures reaching double digits in Northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland’

Temperatures at Shap in Cumbria dropped to -11.2C Wednesday night, while the UK minimum for today was -12.4C at Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands.

It was also the coldest night of winter so far for Wales, where Sennybridge fell to -7.8C; and in Northern Ireland, where Castlederg dropped to -7.3C.

The Met Office issued five fresh weather warnings as snowfall grounded planes, blocked railway lines and sparked huge motorway delays yesterday.

Most of Wales and Northern Ireland as well as large parts of the east of England are covered from 4pm today until 10am today. 

A separate warning covering south and west Wales down to Plymouth from 3am to 11am today was no longer issued, according to the weather office’s website.

The Met Office warned to expect scattered wintry showers and icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.

A yellow warning for snow and ice in Scotland, which was due to end at midnight, has been extended until 10am on Friday.

Snow and winds have brought travel disruption, with rail lines forced to close.

Manchester Airport closed both its runways on Thursday morning ‘due to significant levels of snow’ but they were later reopened.

The airport warned that some flights may be delayed, and advised passengers to check with their airline for the latest information. At least 14 departures and five arrivals scheduled to operate at the airport today have been cancelled.

Transport for Wales closed some rail lines in the country due to track damage following a period of ‘heavy wind, rain and snow’.

Buses are also replacing trains between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog until at least Monday.

Meanwhile, hundreds of schools in Scotland and around 90 in Wales were shut today due to the wintery weather. 

Significant travel disruption was also caused by the snow in Devon and Cornwall yesterday, with some roads closed and motorists stationary for ‘long periods of time’, a joint statement from Devon and Cornwall Police and Devon County Council Highways said.

Snow ploughs became stuck in queues of traffic caused by ‘minor incidents’, the statement added.

Ploughs have been fitted to gritters which were working into this morning to clear routes in the area, police and highways officials said.

Travel disruption to road and rail services is likely to continue in the warning areas, as well as the potential for accidents in icy places, the Met Office has said. 

As icy conditions persist, motorists were urged to stick to major roads that are most likely to have been gritted.

Car insurer RAC said it has seen the highest levels of demand for rescues in a three-day period since December 2022.

‘Cold conditions will last until at least the weekend, so we urge drivers to remain vigilant of the risks posed by ice and, in some locations, snow,’ said RAC breakdown spokeswoman Alice Simpson.

‘Black ice on rural roads can be impossible to spot, leaving very little time to react if driving at speed. Sticking to major roads that are most likely to have been gritted is strongly recommended.’

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) extended its cold weather health alert for all of England until Sunday.

Amber alerts have also been extended and will now run until January 12, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UKHSA, said: ‘We are extending the duration of our Cold-Health Alert, since the Met Office are forecasting that the low temperatures we are seeing will continue further into this week, with snow and icy conditions likely to persist.

‘This weather can have a serious impact on the health of some people, including those aged 65 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions, and it is therefore vital that we continue to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.

‘These people could be more at risk of heart attacks, stroke and chest infections as a result of cold temperatures.’

The country has been hit by widespread flooding in recent days and a danger to life flood warning was issued for Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire as firefighters had to rescue dozens of people stranded in rising water.

While scores of flood warnings and alerts remain in place for England, hundreds have been removed and the weather is set to be drier over the next few days.

Yesterday, the Environment Agency had 137 flood alerts and 68 warnings in place, while Natural Resources Wales had two alerts still active.

The Met Office previously: ‘Thursday night is expected to be the coldest of the week. Over any lying snow in Scotland, this could be as low as -15C, possibly -16C. We recorded -14C on January 17, 2024, at Dalwhinnie, so it is comparable to some recent years.

‘The record low for January is -27.2C on January 10, 1982, at Braemar, so we’re a way off that.’

Meanwhile the BBC reported today that ‘forecasters predicted Thursday could see the coldest January day for more than a decade with the mercury dipping as low as -20C’.