Shivering Brits are braced for a particularly chilly night with temperatures to plummet as low as -16 in parts – potentially making it the coldest in 15 years.
After a week of freezing conditions which have seen roads and schools closed and resulted in traffic chaos, forecasters have projected more sub-zero weather is on its way. The mercury could dive as low as -15 to -16C in parts, according to Met Desk data used by WXCharts.
Seriously cold temperatures are forecast for overnight Wednesday into Thursday, while parts of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland are all currently subject to snow and ice warnings. Lows of -16C possible in Scotland and northern England overnight on Thursday and sub-zero temperatures expected across the country.
Oli Claydon, spokesman for the Met Office, said it would be “bitterly cold” on Thursday night. He said the lowest temperatures will be recorded in rural Scotland and rural northern England where there is lying snow, cloudless skies and very cold airflow.
Thermometers fell to -5.5C in Drumnadrochit, Scotland, on Tuesday, the Met Office said. A temperature of minus 14C would equal the lowest seen in this month last year, recorded in Dalwhinnie in the Scottish Highlands on January 17 2024. The coldest January UK temperature this millennia was -22C recorded in 2010, according to Met Office data reported by PA.
We tried 11 budget mascaras and these are the best – including £6 Amazon find
Wednesday night could be Britain’s coldest in 15 years if temperatures drop as low as they’re projected
(
Image:
WXCharts)
Further snow fell across parts of Yorkshire on Tuesday evening, with millions waking up to a fresh blanketing of the stuff. Fresh flurries meanwhile could hit this area on Wednesday afternoon, with the possibility of up to 4in (10cm) over higher ground. The Met Office yellow weather warning for snow covering southern counties of England remains in place until midnight on Wednesday. Areas currently affected by yellow alerts for snow and/or ice include:
- Scottish Highlands
- Scotland’s west coast
- Northern Ireland
- Greater Manchester, as well as parts of Yorkshire and Derbyshire
- England’s south coast
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.”