UK weather: Snow warning for most of Britain as temperatures plummet to -6C

High winds that caused at least one death in recent days are easing

A farmer rides his quad bike on a snow-covered road in East Haugh, central Scotland, on 14 January (Reuters)

Much of the UK could be blanketed in up to 15cm of snow over today and tomorrow as temperatures plummet far below freezing.

More warnings have been issued for severe cold weather and ice until Tuesday, with the elderly and anyone with underlying health conditions being urged to keep warm indoors.

Carrbridge, in the Scottish Highlands, is due to see temperatures of -6C over the next 24 hours as one of the coldest places in Britain.

Even southern England is seeing the mercury dip below freezing, with Reading in Berkshire expecting -2C, as well as Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire.

The warmest places in the country, according to Met Office predictions, will be the Isles of Scilly and Newquay in Cornwall, basking in a relatively balmy 8C.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “There is a 90 per cent probability of severe cold weather and icy conditions until noon on Monday in parts of England. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services.

"Increasingly cold air will spread from the North West across England on Thursday night and during Friday, with showers turning more wintry from the north.

“Average temperatures are expected to continue falling through the weekend, with a northerly airstream likely to be established by Sunday.

"Frost and ice are expected to become increasingly widespread through the period, with some severe overnight frosts likely in the north over any snow cover by Monday."

Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued for Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North West of England today. They are being expanded to cover the whole of the UK except for parts of the South East on Saturday.

The deepest snowfall is expected at altitudes above 300m in Scotland, where between 10cm and 15cm could fall within hours, creating the risk of travel disruption. Lower ground across the country will see between 2cm and 6cm.

A surfer makes his way towards the beach at Portrush in Antrim, Northern Ireland, on Wednesday, where heavy snowfall led to traffic disruption and school closures (Getty Images)

Parts of the Highlands saw up to 5ft of snow on Thursday night, stranding motorists on the A9.

“Showers could fall as snow anywhere in the country,” a forecaster at the Met Office said. “Certainly further north and higher altitudes could see some snow.”

High winds in "Storm Rachel" that wreaked havoc in recent days are easing after a man was killed when a tree fell on his car in County Antrim.

A 96mph gust of was recorded on Wednesday night in Capel Curig, Wales, and 93mph gusts battered the Needles on the Isle of Wight.

The gales were accompanied by torrential rain in parts of the UK, with more than 40mm falling in less than 12 hours in Achnagart in the Scottish Highlands.

Dr Angie Bone, from Public Health England’s extreme events team, said: “Cold does kill, even in places where the temperatures aren't at their lowest. Most of our advice on keeping warm in cold weather may seem like common sense, but it's important that we make the point that people should think about how cold can affect them.”

Additional reporting by PA

Coldest places in the UK on Friday

1. Carrbridge, Scottish Highlands, -5°C
2. Stansted, Kent, -2°C
3. Newtown, Powys, -2°C
4. Histon, Cambridgeshire, -1°C
5. Stafford, Staffordshire, -1°C

Warmest places in the UK on Friday

1. Isles of Scilly Airport, Cornwall, 9°C
2. Portreath, Cornwall, 7°C
3. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, 5°C
4. Kimbolton, Cambridgeshire, 5°C
5. Boulmer, Northumberland, 5°C

Figures from the Met Office, collated by the BBC