UK weather: Severe warning issued as temperatures across the country drop below zero

Met Office warns of hazardous travel conditions and dangerously low temperature

A man removes frost from his windscreen using an ice scraper (ARMIN WEIGEL/AFP/Getty Images)

Temperatures across the country are expected to plummet as the Met Office issued a cold weather alert, also warning of ice and frost.

The yellow alert was issued for the entire weekend up to 7 March, with those in the north of England and the midlands most likely to be affected by adverse conditions.

Temperatures at night are set to drop to around zero, while ‘a band of rain, sleet and snow’ is falling across northern England, creating hazardous travel conditions.

People with health conditions, and the elderly, are particularly vulnerable as the temperature dips, with advice issued from the Met Office stating: “There is an 80 per cent probability of icy conditions/heavy snow between 9am on Friday 4 March and 0900 on Monday 7 March in parts of England.

“This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services. Please refer to the national Cold Weather Plan and your Trust's emergency plan for appropriate preventive action.”

There is also a yellow warning for ice across the Midlands, London and the southeast for 5 March, with clear skies allowing temperatures to fall below freezing during the night and making for potentially dangerous travel conditions, particularly in the early hours of the morning.

Snow has also fallen in some areas of the midlands, with 10 centimetres having fallen overnight and as much as several centimetres settling in some parts of the country – again creating wintry travel conditions.

The temperature is expected to remain cold over the next week, with rain, wind and snow also predicted for the middle of next week, particularly in areas on higher ground, with some patches of sunshine also expected.