Scotland braced for -16C temperatures overnight as icy blast sends mercury plummeting

Temperatures in Scotland are predicted to drop as low as -16C tonight, making it the coldest night of the winter so far. With sleet and snow showers expected to continue through Wednesday and much of Thursday, a fresh yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued for northern Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The warning will be in place from Wednesday at noon until Thursday at midnight. According to the Met Office, the coldest temperatures will be seen in northern England and rural Scotland, where frigid airflows, clear sky, and lying snow will all combine to produce freezing temperatures.

A temperature of -14C would match the record set last January in Dalwhinnie in the Scottish Highlands. Meanwhile, a reading of -16C would mark Scotland and the UK's coldest January temperature in 15 years, since Altnaharra recorded -22.3C in 2010.

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As new weather warnings came into effect on Wednesday afternoon, snow and sleet began falling over southern England, signaling the UK's preparation for an icy blast. Temperatures are expected to drop sharply overnight on Thursday, with sub-zero conditions forecast across the entire nation.

Snow fell overnight in Yorkshire, waking residents to wintry scenes on Wednesday. In the afternoon, sleet and snow are predicted across southern England. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow in southern England until midnight on Wednesday. Fresh snow flurries are predicted to bring up to 4 inches (10 cm) of snow to higher areas.

The Met Office has issued another yellow warning for snow and ice that will affect Cornwall, a large portion of Wales, and portions of north-west England from 3am to noon on Thursday. The warning warns of possible travel disruptions due to snow and icy patches.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended the cold weather health alert for England until Sunday. The agency warns that the extension of the amber alerts, originally issued on Thursday and now set to last until January 12, is likely to result in an increase in deaths.

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.”

Motorists are being urged to stick to major roads, as these are the most likely to have been gritted during the icy conditions. According to car insurer RAC, demand for rescues over the past three days has reached its highest level 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 has recently experienced widespread flooding, with a danger-to-life flood warning issued for Barrow-upon-Soar in Leicestershire. Firefighters were called to rescue dozens of people stranded in rising waters.

While scores of flood warnings and alerts remain in effect across England, over 200 have been lifted in the past 24 hours, and the forecast indicates drier weather in the coming days.

“One flood warning is in place for the River Wye at Monmouth and four flood alerts are in place for the rest of Wales on Wednesday,” Natural Resources Wales said. “Much of the UK is seeing a much drier day and some bright conditions away from coasts,” Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said on Wednesday. “In those flood-affected areas, it is a much better, drier picture.”

Mr Claydon added that the weather will gradually get milder over the next few days. “Certainly by the end of the weekend we’re moving to a milder air mass and it’ll slowly get introduced across the UK through Sunday,” he said.

“By Monday, the UK will broadly be in a milder air mass and we’ll see some rain moving in from the north-west into parts of western Scotland and potentially Northern Ireland as well.”

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