Northerly winds swept cold air from the Arctic across the United Kingdom on Thursday, producing some of the most widespread low temperatures of the autumn so far and triggering the first cold-health alerts of the season, BBC Weather reported.
Thursday afternoon highs were expected to stay in single digits Celsius for most places, while overnight lows were forecast to fall below freezing widely and potentially drop to minus 7C (about 19 degrees Fahrenheit). Strong winds will bring a significant wind chill, especially on northern and eastern coasts, the BBC said, so it will feel colder than the thermometer reading.
Yellow cold-health alerts from the UK Health Security Agency, issued with the Met Office, have come into force in the West Midlands and north-west England and are valid until 12:00 on Saturday. The yellow alerts warn of minor impacts on the health and social care sector, with increased use of services by vulnerable people, who face a greater risk to life.
Sunshine, showers and a widely frosty night
The air mass is relatively clear, the BBC said, meaning plenty of sunshine and less of the mist and fog that has plagued some areas recently. Even under blue skies, afternoon highs were expected to range only from 6 to 10C. The strongest winds will be in north-east Scotland, where gusts will touch 50-60 mph for a time; the east coast of England will also be blustery.
Showers will be blown into northern Scotland as a mix of rain, sleet and hail, with a little snow possible over high ground. Scattered showers will also affect Northern Ireland and northern and eastern England, though most of those will be rain. The BBC noted that this pattern is not unusual for November as meteorological autumn draws into its final weeks.
Thursday night was forecast to be one of the most widely cold of the autumn so far, with a widespread frost and a few icy stretches possible, especially in northern Scotland. Friday looks sunnier for many, with generally lighter winds, though parts of northern Scotland will remain blustery. Showers on Friday are most likely in Northern Ireland, Wales, north-west England and Scotland, where cloud will tend to increase in the afternoon.
Friday night will deliver another frost for many areas, and the weekend will stay generally chilly, though temperatures should gradually climb by a degree or two as southerly winds develop. Morning fog may return by Sunday, and as high pressure starts to give way to low pressure, the chances of rain will increase. Next week looks more unsettled, the BBC said.