Coldest night since March as temperatures set to drop again

The UK has recorded its coldest night since March as a cold snap is set to follow flooding from Storm Claudia.

Temperatures dropped to minus 7C in Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands on Saturday night, the lowest since March 20, the Met Office said.

A 5C drop in temperatures will see top figures plunge to around 11C on Sunday and get colder for the start of the week.

Snow and ice are possible after what has been a spell of above-average temperatures, the forecaster said.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Holley said: “As Storm Claudia retreats to the south, high pressure to the north-west will drive a cold northerly flow from the Arctic across the UK.

“This will bring much colder conditions than of late and, whilst generally drier than recent days, there will also be a risk of wintry hazards, such as snow and ice.

“This will be a notable change in our weather after a prolonged spell of above-average temperatures.”

A major incident was declared in Monmouth, south-east Wales, over the weekend where people were rescued or evacuated from homes that were flooded in Friday’s torrential rain.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had imposed four severe flood warnings amid fears there may be danger to life while there were 45 flood warnings in England.

Some 119.6mm of rainfall was recorded at an NRW rain gauge at Tafalog in Gwent, south-east Wales, in the 12 hours to 6am on Saturday while 80.6mm was recorded over the same period at Suckley, Worcestershire.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued a cold weather warning for parts of the Midlands and northern England from Monday, and the Environment Agency has warned flooding will continue throughout the weekend.

The cold weather alert is in place from 8am on Monday until 8am next Friday and covers the East Midlands, West Midlands, North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber.