Brits are being warned of ice and snow on Friday morning as an Arctic plunge sees temperatures drop by around 16 degrees.
On the back of Storms Malik and Carrie there have been several mild days but this has dramatically changed overnight with a cold front coming in from the North West bringing freezing conditions.
Maps from WXCharts have shown -3 temperatures for Friday and snowfall for the next few days with up to 25cm landing in Scotland on Sunday.
The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for ice in Scotland and Northern Ireland which will run until 11am on Friday.
It states: “Icy patches are likely especially on untreated surfaces, leading to tricky travel conditions in places.”
People have been told to expect: “Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces. Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavement and cycle paths.”
Maps show that there could be 6cm of snow in western Scotland on Friday while also flurries across the rest of the country including south west England and Wales.
People are being advised to wrap up warm with it even being colder than Volgograd, in Russia, which is reportedly 1C currently.
And it will feel all the colder on Friday due to the plunge in temperatures which have reached the mid-teens in some areas this week.
Met Office forecaster Clare Nasir said: “Friday is looking a lot colder than the last few days with the risk of ice particular early on courtesy of some snow showers.”
A cold front is moving down the country which will bring the freezing temperatures first to Scotland.
“An ice warning in place in the early hours into Friday morning as those snow showers move in and this cold front here will produce some quite heavy rain just for a time before it clears the south east on Friday morning and then much of the UK bathed in that colder, clearer air," said Ms Nasir.
"As the cold air digs in you could see a transient spell of sleet and snow just for a time and certainly a risk of ice in the north and the west with this snow showers moving in on a cold blustery wind and so a bitterly cold start to the day. Watch out for cold stretches on untreated roads."
There is likely to be more snow on Saturday but the most will fall on Sunday in Scotland with up to 25cm and there could be several centimetres also in northern England.
UK forecast for the next 5 days
Today:
Early rain clears the southeast, then colder with strong winds, and a mix of sunny spells and wintry showers. Showers focused in the north and west, with snow accumulations on northern hills. Sunniest in parts of the east and south.
Tonight:
Showers continuing in some northern and western areas, with ice and hill snow across parts of Scotland. Clearer further south and east, patchy frost. Wet and windy in northwest later.
Saturday:
Rain in the northwest, spreading south to many areas but parts of the south mostly dry. Heavy wintry showers returning to Scotland later. Windy with gales, especially in the north.
Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:
Alternating periods of mild, wet conditions and colder interludes with wintry showers. Some snow and ice at times in the north. Windy with gales, perhaps severe across Scotland.
