Snow dusted Scottish peaks on Thursday as an Arctic blast swept across Britain, sending temperatures plunging below zero.
The first taste of winter arrived as parts of the UK were hit by widespread frost and icy conditions.
The mercury tumbled to a bone-chilling -2C in the Highlands, while Yorkshire woke to a frosty 1C. Cumbria shivered at 2C, Worcestershire at 3C and even typically mild Devon saw just 4C.
Daytime highs struggled to reach normal levels for the time of year. Glasgow barely touched 12C, Manchester lingered at 13C and London topped out at a mere 16C - all 4C to 7C below average.
Good morning. A caul one today & there was snow on the mountains yesterday, so my mind is turning to my seasonal cards. I like this photo, so it’s gone on my list to reproduce. Less windy today, currently sunny, so may get out with the Mopster.
— Debbie Ross (@DRnaturegirl) September 12, 2024
Happy Thursday!#Scotland #snow pic.twitter.com/Lg7vkMYgYc
The Met Office described the day as "chilly and rather breezy" with sunny spells punctuated by showers across the North and West. Southern areas faced the threat of hail and thunder.
As night falls, showers will cling to northern and eastern coasts. Clear skies elsewhere mean another cold night is on the cards, with patchy mist and frost expected.
Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said: "It's cold outside with showers. The reason why we have both is because the position of the wind.
“It's coming in from the Arctic, dragging in very cold air and then flowing over a relatively warm sea. The airbecomes unstable and that's the reason why we do have showers which will develop inland through the next 12 hours."
Nasir added: "It is chilly. We've even seen a touch of grass frost in the South and a touch of air frost in the north across one or two glens of Scotland."
Looking ahead, Thursday night will bring clearer skies. "We'll see some starry skies - any showers again tending to fade away, particularly inland," Nasir said. "Across the far north of Scotland, the wind direction does change and we lose the sting in the wind."
The cold snap won't last long. While Friday will see highs of 13C to 17C, a weekend warm-up is on the way. By Saturday, London will hit 20C, Manchester and Cardiff 18C, and Edinburgh and Belfast 17C.
In London, Thursday will be bright with scattered showers into the afternoon, though less frequent than Wednesday. Winds will ease slightly but it'll remain breezy and cool, with a maximum of 16C.
On Thursday showers will fade for a dry, clear night. Rural areas may see frost as temperatures dip to 4C. Friday will start cold with early mist, clearing to a fine day with lighter winds and plenty of sunshine.
