Met Office forecasts up to 5cm of snow as UK temperatures set to drop to -9°C

Parts of the UK could be set for up to 5cm of snow as temperatures are expected to plummet as low as -9C tonight.

Rural areas including The Grampians, North York Moors and parts of the Pennies are set for heavy snowfall today, forecasters said.

Snow has already swept across the South West, parts of Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland on Thursday.

Almost the entire east coast is under a Met Office warning for snow and ice today, with ice warnings in place for Northern Ireland and the South West of England.

Yesterday marked the coldest November temperatures some parts of the country had experienced since 2010.

This included temperatures of -6.1C in Cumbria and Oxfordshire.

Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said: “For most of us it will be dry and bright. There will be some wintry showers over the hills.

“There could be 2cm to 5cm of snow for areas 100m to 200m above sea level, with rain falling at lower levels, particularly Northern Ireland and western Scotland.

“The North York Moors and parts of Scotland will likely get snow.

“There will be another widespread frost, with a max temperature of 5C across the South.”

The UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office have issued amber cold health alerts in five regions: the East Midlands, West Midlands, North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber; until 5 December, meaning “cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time”.

50 schools across Cornwall and Devon were closed yesterday due to the weather conditions.

Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice are in place for almost the entire east coast of the country, making travel disruptions likely. The AA has also issued warned drivers to take precautions in icy and cold conditions.

National Network Manager at National Highways, Dale Hipkiss, advised motorists to keep an winter kit in the car while driving.

“Keeping a kit of essential items like a torch and warm clothes, in your vehicle, can be vital in case you and your passengers become stranded,” he said.

“Freezing conditions bring so many hazards such as snow and ice, so please … plan ahead for your journey, check weather forecasts, and if weather conditions do become challenging whilst travelling, adjust your driving behaviour and take extra care.

“It’s also a good idea for people to check (your) vehicles, such as tyres, coolant and oil levels, etc. before heading out to reduce the risk of breakdowns.”

While there is no snow forecast for London, Mayor Sadiq Khan triggered a severe weather emergency response yesterday which opens emergency accommodation run by charities and local councils to bring rough sleepers in from the freezing temperatures.

Meanwhile, British Gas has said it is expecting more than 40,000 engineer callouts in the next few days after a surge with the cold weather already experienced this week.

Moving into next week, the weather is likely to remain cold with a north-easterly air flow pushing through frigid air from the north.

The Met Office predicts a good deal of dry, sunny weather for many, showers remain possible across the UK, particularly in eastern coastal areas.

However, showers could turn wintry at times.

The weather will become increasingly unsettled and less cold in southern and central areas next week, but it will probably remain cold with further coastal wintry showers in the north.