Freezing fog forecast overnight as cold snap bites

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for fog in parts of England amid conditions that could cause delays for morning journeys.

Commuters drive in freezing fog (PA) (PA Wire)

Freezing fog is set to hit parts of the UK overnight as the cold snap continues.

By Saturday morning, the fog could be so dense that visibility drops to below 100 metres in some places, the Met Office said.

Forecasters have issued a yellow weather warning between 2am and 11am for parts of England, including the Midlands, Yorkshire, Cheshire and much of the South West, and Wales.

Travel delays are likely, while untreated surfaces could become slippery.

The Met Office said: “Freezing fog is expected to develop during Friday night and will be slow to clear in places through Saturday morning.

“Some fog could be quite dense with the visibility falling below 100 metres at times.

“Western England is more likely to see freezing fog persist into late morning and in a few places into the afternoon.”

Overnight temperatures across the whole country could hit minus 2-4C in the towns and cities, while it could possibly reach minus 7-8C in rural spots, according Met Office meteorologist Ellie Wilson.

Figures of minus 9C could be recorded in parts of Scotland which have any snow cover.

By 5am, temperatures in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland could rise to 2-3C as the frost clears.

It comes after temperatures plunged below minus 10C in parts of the UK this week amid snowy and icy conditions.

Drumnadrochit near Inverness in the Highlands hit minus 10.4C in the early hours of Thursday, making it the coldest recorded temperature of the year so far.

Manchester Airport was also forced to close both its runways for a period due to heavy snowfall.