Ice warning as overnight temperatures plunge
Temperatures plunged as low as minus 8.5C (16.7F) overnight as the cold snap brought wintry and potentially-hazardous conditions to many parts of the country.
The low was recorded at Altnaharra in Sutherland, while minus 7C (19.4F) was recorded at Aboyne in Aberdeenshire.
Good morning UK! After any early patchy rain, sleet or hill snow clears the south, eastern parts will have another bright, cold day with sunny spells. It will become cloudier in the west with some patchy rain edging slowly eastward through the day. More: https://t.co/lvmvtqQWBNpic.twitter.com/m7ATk2WbBt
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 24, 2019
In Aberdeen itself the mercury dropped to minus 5C (23F), while the same low was recorded as far south as Cavendish in Suffolk.
A yellow warning of ice for most of Scotland, all of the North of England and down across to East Anglia is in place until 11am.
Met Office meteorologist Ellie Creed said: "It's been pretty cold overnight and there have been showers in the last 24 hours, so there could well be some icy stretches around."
❄️ Here is the latest snowdar for the UK. An YELLOW ICE warning is in force with rain, sleet and snow currently falling over East Midlands. Stay #weatheraware#uksnow ❄️🚗❄️ pic.twitter.com/ED6zfLAJPv
— Met Office (@metoffice) January 24, 2019
For the rest of Thursday, an area of cloud, rain and hill snow over much of central England will move out towards the south.
Areas behind the band of wintry weather, particularly in the North East of England, could see some sunny spells.
However, cloud, rain and stronger winds will arrive from Northern Ireland to affect western parts later on – although temperatures will be milder with highs around 10C (50F).