UK braces for snow and big freeze as temperatures drop to minus 3C

Health alert issued to vulnerable patients as severe weather warnings in place across UK

Ice and a centimetre of snow were predicted in northeast England on Thursday night, with temperatures dropping to as low as minus 3C in some towns – and even lower in rural areas.

As freezing temperatures continue to grip the UK, travellers and anyone whose health is vulnerable were warned of disruption from snow showers and ice.

Severe weather warnings are in place across the UK and experts said more were likely to be issued in the next few days.

Frozen undergrowth in Bushy Park, London, on Thursday (REUTERS)

Health chiefs on Wednesday issued a level 3 cold weather alert for all of England until 9am on Friday. It means vulnerable patients’ health is at greater risk, and delivery of services could be disrupted.

Early on Thursday, Manchester Airport was forced to close both its runways for about three hours while workers cleared heavy snowfalls, grounding dozens of flights.

Nationwide, temperatures plunged below minus 10C in some parts of the UK overnight Wednesday to Thursday.

A yellow warning of ice for Thursday and Friday is in place across Cornwall, most of Wales, Stoke-on-Trent, Greater Manchester, the northeast, northern Scotland and north Northern Ireland.

And frequent heavy showers, wintry inland, were forecast to head south across much of Scotland.

Elsewhere, wintry showers were confined mainly to coasts, with a lot of fine, cold weather elsewhere, the Met Office said. Brisk winds in the north and east accentuated the cold.

Met Office chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said; “Cold air is continuing to push across the UK from the north and many areas have seen some snow, wintry conditions, and overnight frosts.

“National Severe Weather Warnings have been issued across parts of western England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, with more warnings likely to be issued over the coming days.”

Snow ploughs clear snow from the airfield (REUTERS)

A frozen loch in Aviemore, Scotland (Getty Images)

Manchester Airport tweeted: “Following a period of heavy snowfall, we have temporarily closed both runways. Health and safety will always be our top priority and operations will resume at the earliest opportunity.”

Passenger Nathan Booth tweeted that he had been sitting on a plane diverted to Birmingham because of “a wind blow of snow fall for the past hour".

It was snowing in Newcastle Upon Tyne on Thursday afternoon.

Met Office forecasters predicted Thursday night would be very cold with a hard frost at night, temperatures of minus 3C in towns and cities in central Scotland and lower in rural areas, with isolated freezing fog patches.

Alex Deakin said there would be snow showers in northwest England and north Wales, moving southwards and growing more scattered.

On Friday evening temperatures are set to plummet again, giving another frosty night, he said.

Some freezing fog patches will linger at the weekend but the big freeze is set to ease and next week will be drier.

Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland are set to be warmer than the southeast of England on Sunday as milder air slowly moves in from the west.