The UK is braced for an icy blast, with temperatures set to plummet as low as minus 16C in some areas.
Overnight into Thursday (January 9), temperatures are set to drop sharply, with lows of minus 14C possible in Scotland and northern England and sub-zero temperatures expected across the country.
In Greater Manchester, forecasters have predicted lows of -4C in Bury and Stockport in the early hours of Thursday morning. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended its cold weather health alert for all of England until Sunday following days of bitterly cold weather.
Overnight into Thursday (January 9), temperatures are set to drop sharply
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Amber alerts issued on Thursday have been extended and will now run until January 12, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.
Minimum temperatures of minus 16C could be reached on Thursday night in rural areas and Scotland, the Met Office said. The Met Office has warned that snow and icy patches in these areas could lead to some travel disruption.
Here are the exact times it will be the coldest in every Greater Manchester borough tonight:
Bury
Temperatures are expected to hit as low as -4C in Bury overnight. According to the Met Office, it will remain at -4C until around 5am. It will be another cold and icy start to Thursday.
Salford
It will plummet to -3C overnight on Wednesday in Salford. The Met Office says temperatures will drop to -3C at around 1am. It will remain below freezing until around 12pm on Thursday, when it will rise to around 1C.
Stockport
Met Office forecasters predict lows of -4C in Stockport overnight. The time it is meant to hit the chilly temperature is at around 1am and lasting until 3am, when it will rise by just one degree, to -3C.
Trafford
In the borough of Trafford, the Met Office says temperatures will drop to -3C at around midnight on Thursday. Sub-zero temperatures will remain until midday.
Bolton
It will be slightly warmer in Bolton – but only by a degree. Temperatures will remain at -2C until 3am on Thursday, before dropping to -3C.
Oldham
Temperatures are expected to hit as low as -4C in Oldham overnight. According to the Met Office, it will hit the coldest temperature at around 5am on Thursday.
Manchester
In the borough of Manchester, the Met Office has predicted temperatures as cold as -3C overnight. Temperatures will drop from -2C to -3C at around 1am. It will be another frosty start on Thursday morning.
Wigan
In Wigan, it will be at its coldest earlier in the morning on Thursday. Temperatures will remain at around -3C until 3am, when it will rise to -2C.
Tameside
Met Office forecasters have said that in Tameside, temperatures will plummet to -3C overnight. The below freezing temperatures are predicted from midnight, slightly rising to -2C at 9am.
Rochdale
In Rochdale, temperatures will drop to -3C overnight. From midnight, the coldest temperature overnight will remain until around 10am on Thursday.
Deputy Chief Forecaster, Christoph Almond, said: “Thursday will see another cold night, with potentially the lowest temperatures of the Winter so far, -15°C – possibly -16°C is likely in locations with lying snow in Scotland or northern England.
“In the early hours of Friday, a front arriving from the west will encounter the cold air in place over the UK. This could bring further sleet or snowfall for some regions in the south and west, as well as a risk of ice for a time as it moves north-eastwards into central parts, but the extent of this is still uncertain.”