UK weather: Subzero temperatures to continue into weekend

The freezing weather gripping the UK is expected to continue into this weekend as forecasters predict more temperatures below zero.

On Friday afternoon, the Met Office tweeted: "Low pressure over western #Mediterranean will bring heavy rain, thunderstorms and mountain snow over the next few days."

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It warned that frost and foggy conditions could cause dangerous driving conditions and on Saturday tweeted about the chilly start to the weekend.

The Met Office wrote: "It is a #cold and #frosty start this morning across many parts of the UK, with South Farnborough falling to -8.1 °C overnight."

Widespread fog is especially likely in the south of England. In rural areas, temperatures could reach as low as -7C.

An AA spokesman told The Press Association that motorists should take caution: "Wear warm layers and plan your route, where possible favouring roads which have been gritted. Stopping distances can be 10 times greater in icy conditions, so keep your speed down and leave plenty of extra space behind the car in front."

They added: "Avoid harsh acceleration, braking or cornering. Gentle manoeuvres are key."

The Met Office forecast says: "Although it'll be a sunny and frosty start for many today, some fog patches will linger through the morning. Skies will then cloud over for many, with showers in north-east England during the afternoon, perhaps turning wintry over hills."

For Sunday, it says that early fog patches will clear through the morning, with otherwise dry and sunny conditions in the south. Skies are expected to be cloudier further north, with some isolated outbreaks of light rain.

The outlook for Monday to Wednesday suggests more cold weather for next week.

"Dry for most, but with some outbreaks of rain in the north-west," the Met Office say. "There'll be some bright sunny spells, but it'll feel cold with widespread frosts and some persistent fog patches."

Meanwhile, a forecaster from WeatherAction told the Daily Express that the coming weeks could see another Big Freeze as blizzards and "damaging" Polar winds hit the country at the end of January.

Piers Corbyn said: "It is going to get colder this month with a further threat of major blizzards and another spell of dangerous, icy weather."

He added: "A weakening of the Polar vortex is leading to a displacement allowing Arctic air to sink southwards, there are signs the next cold snap will be worse than the one we have just had."

Visit weather.aol.co.uk for your local forecast.