UK weather: 'Coldest night of winter' to bring ice and freezing fog patches to cover whole country

It is also expected to be the coldest night since 2012

Ice and frost covers a lake in Richmond Park, south west London

Britain is likely to see widespread frost and treacherous ice tomorrow morning after temperatures are set to plummet well below zero during the coldest night of winter expected so far.

Huge swathes of the country will be frozen overnight and during the early hours of tomorrow morning as the mercury is set to drop to extremes of -10C and even -15C in rural areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The cold snap is believed to be the worst in the UK for almost three years since -15.6C was recorded in February 2012 in Lincolnshire.

Drivers and commuters should be prepared for hazardous road conditions as freezing fog patches across the country could cause low visibility and make grounds dangerously slippery.

Milder yet very chilly temperatures will be felt everywhere else with -1C in London and the south coast, -3C in the south west and Wales, -2C in the Midlands, -3C in the North and -5C in urban areas of Scotland.

The Met Office confirmed that tonight is set to be the coldest of the season so far. Homelessness charities such as St Mungo’s are asking for those who spot people sleeping rough to contact StreetLink on 0300 500 0914 to assist them in finding somewhere to stay as cold weather can cause or exacerbate serious health problems.

Homeless people sleeping on streets are at risk in extreme cold weather (GETTY IMAGES)

Public Health England advise neighbours, relatives and friends of elderly and vulnerable people to look out for them by making sure they have easy access to food and fuel amid risky travel conditions and to check that hot water and heating appliances are working.

Dr Angie Bone of the Extreme Events team at Public Health England said: “Cold does kill, even in places where the temperatures aren’t at their lowest.”

The blanket of frost and the freezing climate is down to Arctic weather making its way down south. A very strong jet stream from across the Atlantic that initially brought over milder and wetter weather has weakened and will allow the cold snap to continue until at least next week, according to the forecaster.

Tomorrow is set to be dry, bright and sunny with temperatures as low as zero in the north and 2C to 5C in the south. A band of sleet and snow will slowly make its way eastwards from the west during the day, the Met Office added.