Minus 11 - and snow tomorrow for us all

Chesham in Buckinghamshire recorded a temperature of minus 11.1C (12F), the coldest reading of the winter so far, while the mercury fell nearly as low in areas including the South West, Wales, Yorkshire and Northumbria.

Forecasters were expecting a maximum of 2C (36F) across the UK during the day, and warned that snow is on the way tomorrow.

Nick Prebble, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: “A band of rain is coming in from the North Atlantic, which when it hits the cold air over the country will turn to snow.

“Snow is expected tomorrow morning in the Scottish highlands, moving south-east during the day, and arriving in London during the evening. Falls up to 5cm (2in) will be quite widespread, but there is expected to be a thaw on Sunday. However, it will remain fairly cold at the start of the new week, with temperatures on Monday struggling to rise above 3C or 4C (37 or 39C).”

The deep freeze has seen daytime temperatures plummet four or five degrees lower than average for February - traditionally the coldest month of the year.