UK

UK weather: More wintry conditions on the way after temperatures drop as low as -7.7C

UK weather: More wintry conditions on the way after temperatures drop as low as -7.7C

More wintry weather – including sleet and snow in places – is forecast for the UK later this week after temperatures dropped below freezing two nights in a row.

A brief return to slightly milder conditions would make way for a widespread chilly spell, with figures potentially falling as low as -8C, the Met Office has said.

It comes after thermometers plunged as low as -7.7C in Shap, Cumbria, on Friday night and -5C in parts of Scotland on Saturday night.

Many other parts of northern England and Wales also experienced conditions below zero overnight.

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst warned of “a cold week to come” with possible snow on higher ground.

“Then (there is) potential for some rain and some hill snow as we move through the latter part of Wednesday into Thursday,” he said.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be quite cloudy with outbreaks of rain on Monday morning, before an area of low pressure pulls southeastwards towards the continent to create brighter spells.

Figures will peak in double figures in southern England and Wales on Monday but will begin to slide heading into Tuesday.

A frosty evening is expected in many areas on Tuesday, with temperatures of around -2C to -5C. They could fall as low as -8C in the far north of England and rural Scotland.

Then on Thursday up to 5cm of snow could fall in parts of Wales and northwest England over higher ground amid low temperatures.

Find out the forecast for your area

Image:
Predicted temperatures on Thursday morning with warnings of up to 5cm of snow on higher ground. Pic: Met Office

Smaller amounts of snow may fall at lower levels too, forecasters said.

Dartmoor, the Pennines and parts of Scotland are also at risk of some sleet or snow.

Read more from Sky News:
Former England manager Terry Venables dies

Drones shot down as Ukraine and Russia exchange salvoes
Actress Tiffany Haddish arrested in LA

Many regions are likely to experience severe frosts, icy stretches and patchy freezing fog.

The cold conditions over the weekend came as the Northern Lights – also known as aurora borealis – were spotted across parts of the UK.

The ring as seen from Reigate, in Surrey. Pic: Simon Collins
Image:
A Moon halo spotted in Reigate, Surrey. Pic: Simon Collins

The colourful waves were reportedly witnessed in the skies above parts of Scotland, northeast England, Suffolk and Essex.

Another phenomenon called Moon haloes – when moonlight is reflected by ice crystals in the air producing a white halo effect – was also seen in areas further south.