UK weather forecast: Cold snap could worsen towards end of month as temperatures plummet

Warning comes as mercury plunged to -10.5C in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, on coldest day so far this winter

Britain is bracing for a cold snap which could worsen towards the end of the month, as temperatures in some places plummet as low as -10C.

Forecasters have warned Britons to wrap up warm and look after vulnerable people as conditions akin to last year’s Beast from the East could hit in the coming weeks.

Overnight on Wednesday temperatures fell as low as -10.5C in Braemar, Aberdeenshire – and many woke to freezing temperatures on Thursday on what marked the coldest day this winter.

The Met Office and Public Health England have issued a level two cold weather alert for most of northern and central England.

The most vulnerable, including children, the elderly and those with chronic diseases, have been warned to take extra care as the cold weather could increase health risks.

Forecasters have warned Britain faces an increased chance of severe weather towards the second half of January because of something known as sudden stratospheric warming, which is currently taking place over the Arctic.

This raising of temperatures at high altitudes eventually led to the Beast from the East being drawn in from Siberia, battering the UK with heavy snow and ice-cold temperatures in February and March last year.

The extreme weather brought the country to a virtual standstill and left 17 people dead.

Those venturing out on Thursday morning experienced a very cold start to the day, which was predicted to be mostly dry with sunny spells and patchy cloud.

Temperatures were expected to reach highs of just 5C in London, 3C in Edinburgh, 6C in Cardiff and 7C in Belfast.

Overnight on Thursday was forecast to bring frost and freezing fog in places with clear skies, meaning a very cold start to Friday.

MeteoGroup forecaster Paul Knightley told The Independent: “Until the end of the weekend the weather is pretty much stuck in a rut.

“Friday will see some sunshine and over the next few days we’ve got some very similar weather; it will be dry and on the chilly side, particularly overnight.

“Towards the weekend it may turn slightly milder Saturday into Sunday.

“Going into Monday it may be a bit wet and windy in northern areas but nothing out of the ordinary for the time of the year.”

He added: “It is colder than average at the moment so it is a chilly snap but compared to what cold spells can be like this is nothing.

“I think the further we get into January the higher the chance of some colder weather.

“There’s increasing risk of some colder weather developing and there could be a risk of snow but it’s by no means certain.”