Yellow weather warnings for ice and snow are in force for the majority of the country. The warnings are to advise Britons to take extra care while on pavements and cycle paths. They mean injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces are likely.
Commenting on the conditions, Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: “A widespread, hard frost, temperatures well below freezing across sheltered parts of northern Britain.
“Into the minus teens, I suspect, into some of the sheltered glens in Scotland.”
Saturday morning will start off with “widely freezing temperatures” Mr McGivern cautioned.
The weather expert added: “There is going to be the risk of icy stretches on the roads and pavements which could be slippery during Saturday morning.”
He said: “Snow and ice warnings in force for western parts of Wales, Northern Ireland, northern and eastern Scotland as well as eastern England.
“Ice warning fairly wide across southern areas because of the lying snow.
“Yes, there will be some treacherous conditions first thing on Saturday.”
However, “many places” will wake up to sunshine, Mr McGivern forecasted.
He said: “But we do have further showers for the far north of Scotland.
“And also increasingly through the morning: west Wales.”
The showers will comprise “rain and sleet at coastal levels” but “inland further snow”, according to Mr McGivern.
He said: “Another couple of centimetres possible in one or two spots.”
However there will be sunshine between the broken showers, Mr McGivern predicted.
Temperatures are set to “plummet well below freezing” on Saturday night, potentially making it the “coldest night of the year so far” the weather expert warned.
