UK weather: Snow and ice warnings today as temperatures plunge to -12.4C overnight

A fog warning which covered most of Northern Ireland overnight has now been lifted.

Snow and ice warnings remain in place in Wales, northern parts of Northern Ireland, southern England and northern Scotland today.

Five weather warnings are in place for Thursday, as the UK’s cold snap continues.

Snow and ice warnings cover western and northern Wales, Cornwall and northern parts of Northern Ireland until 11am.

An ice warning across most of southern England will be in place until 10:30am, and a snow and ice warning in northern Scotland will be lifted at 23:59.

The Met Office warns of an increased likelihood of injuries due to icy surfaces and travel disruption in the affected areas.

Southern parts of Northern Ireland will also see a fog warning lifted at 9am.

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 spokesperson 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 Met Office has issued three yellow weather warnings for snow and ice following a days of wintry conditions across the country weather.

A snow and ice warning has been issued from midday on Wednesday to Thursday evening, covering northern Scotland.

Icy conditions, snowfall and temperatures as low as-16C have all been forecast for the week ahead, the Met Office said.

In their forecast published on Thursday afternoon, 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.”

“By Sunday, milder air will have moved in across much of the UK, meaning rain is more likely than snow as we get to the end of the weekend. Northern Ireland and Western Scotland are most likely to see some showery outbreaks of rain and breezy conditions through Sunday and Monday, with conditions further south and east drier and more settled, but with some overnight fog and frost.”

The number of flu cases has soared across England, with 5,074 patients with the virus being treated in hospital at the end of December.

This marks an increase of 305 per cent from the end of November, and is up by 352 per cent from the same day last year (1,458 patients).

The numbers are in line with 2022’s flu crisis, when 5,508 patients were in hospital with flu at end of December that year.

In the midst of this surge, eight hospitals across the country have declared critical incidents with “sustained pressures” are leading to waits of up to 50 hours.

The Independent’s data correspondent Alicja Hagopian reports:

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

Amber alerts have 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.”

It will be “bitterly cold” on Thursday night, said Oli Claydon, spokesperson for the Met Office.

He told the PA news agency the lowest temperatures will be recorded in rural Scotland and rural northern England where there is lying snow, cloudless skies and very cold airflow.

A temperature of -14C would equal the lowest seen in this month last year, recorded in Dalwhinnie in the Scottish Highlands on 17 January 2024.

But a temperature of -16C would be the lowest recorded in January in the UK for 15 years, since -22.3C was logged in Altnaharra in the Highlands on 8 January 2010, according to Met Office data.