Parts of England Were Issued a Yellow Weather Warning, With Freezing Fog Expected To Cause Travel Delays

Temperatures dropped to nearly -10 degrees Celsius in parts of the UK last Saturday night, with forecasters warning that the cold spell would last into next week.

RAF Benson in Oxfordshire had the coldest overnight temperatures in Britain, recording -9.7C, while thermometers in Scotland remained above zero.

A yellow fog warning is in effect for Monday, spanning north Lincolnshire, the East Midlands, and down to London, with freezing fog expected to cause travel delays.

Cold Snap to Continue After Temperatures Fall To Almost -10C

(Photo : Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

The UK Health Security Agency issued a level 3 cold weather alert for Wednesday, January 25, on Friday, January 20.

The alert, the second highest on the scale, advises people to dress warmly, keep their homes warm, and keep an eye on vulnerable friends and family members.

It also mobilizes health-care providers to take extra precautions to care for vulnerable patients and warns of impending delivery delays.

The Met Office, however, believes that reports of a "snow bomb" heading to the British Isles at the end of next week are likely exaggerated.

According to Dan Stroud, a Met Office meteorologist, forecasts for the beginning of February are quite mild.

Those temperatures are expected to last until the beginning of February, with a chance of overnight frost.

The long-term forecast indicated that it will get colder in the first week of February, but "we're not expecting anything significant at this point," he said.

Meanwhile, National Highways is advising drivers to exercise caution and allow plenty of time for their journeys over the next few days.

"Freezing conditions bring so many hazards such as ice and snow," said Dale Hipkiss, national network manager at National Highways.

"Take every possible step to understand your journey in advance and allow lots of extra time when traveling to prepare for the unexpected," he added, as per The Guardian.

Also Read: Heatwave to Hit the UK in April and Climate Change is to Blame: Met Office Forecast

When will it get warmer in the United Kingdom?

Despite the warnings, Met Office meteorologist Craig Snell said the cold spell's worst is over, with temperatures expected to rise this week across the UK, as per iNews.

According to Mr. Snell, the severe front will be relatively benign next week. They're starting to lose the threat of fog, and temperatures are generally around normal.

"We'll most likely miss the really hard frosts. In terms of ice and snow, it appears that we have passed the worst of it."

Temperatures would be lower in the South, which is typically warmer than the rest of the country, due to a change in wind direction in the North West.

The Arctic blast that swept across the UK over the last week will give way to warmer Atlantic air, but it will take longer to reach southern areas.

So, while temperatures in London are only expected to reach 4°C on Monday and Tuesday, they will rise to 7°C by Thursday and 8°C on Saturday.

However, temperatures in Manchester are expected to reach 9°C on Wednesday before dropping to 6°C by Friday and returning to 8°C the following weekend.