Live map shows the coldest places in the UK after freezing weather continues

Temperatures in the UK dropped well below freezing last night, with Norfolk seeing the lowest low at a polar -12.5°C.

Today isn’t much toastier, with hats and scarves needed just to brave a trip to the shops.

A live map shows how the entire UK is in the grip of the Big Chill, with the whole of the country showing blue for temperatures hovering near zero.

‘Last night was the coldest night of the winter so far, making it a very cold and frosty start for most of us this morning,’ the Met Office said.

‘Take care if you are travelling this morning as it will be an icy start for some.’

While many refused to leave the house so they could stay toasty under a blanket, some brave (or foolish) souls thought it was a good day for a dip, with swimmers at London’s Serpentine Swim Club pictured lowering themselves into partly frozen water in Hyde Park’s famous lake.

In Scotland, conditions are so extreme that an MP has called for the military to be sent in to clear roads and deliver essentials to communities cut off by snow.

Andrew Bowie warned the ‘critical’ situation in the north and east of the country has left some without food and medical supplies.

In a letter to First Minister John Swinney, he urged him to ‘mobilise all available resources’ to help those impacted and request military support from the UK Government.

The Tory MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine said: ‘There is a real and growing risk that individuals may be left without basic necessities unless urgent action is taken.

‘While emergency services, gritters, farmers and volunteer groups are going above and beyond to support their communities, in many cases they are quite simply overwhelmed by the scale and persistence of the conditions.’

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber cold health alerts for England, warning the temperatures are likely to affect health and wellbeing, running until Friday.

Hundreds of schools were shut yesterday across the UK, while flights were cancelled and trains disrupted.

They are remaining closed for a second day as weather warnings of snow and ice continue across the country.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for snow for large parts of north-east and northern Scotland from 11am until 7pm on Tuesday, with forecasters warning of 5-10cm of snow widely, and up to 15cm in places.

A yellow warning of snow and ice is in place as far south as Perth until midnight on Tuesday.

The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning of snow and ice from the central belt south down beyond the border, until 11am on Tuesday.

Senior meteorologist Jim Dale told Metro that stormy weather could follow the freeze by the end of the week, as a milder low pressure system from the Atlantic collides with the Arctic air currently above us.

‘It’s like the red corner versus the blue corner in a boxing match,’ Mr Dale said.

‘The Arctic air is frigid and very difficult to move, so it is effectively a battle. If you’re on the blue side, you’ll get snow, and if you’re in red, you’ll tend to get the rain. But probably most parts will get the wind.’

When the cold air meets the milder air, it will act as the catalyst to create a ‘spinning vortex’ which ends up as a deep low pressure system.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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