Brits have been warned roads could turn into slippery ice rinks this morning as freezing temperatures are set to cause misery for people heading to work or school.

People have been warned some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths may have hidden icy patches, potentially putting people at risk of falling and injuring themselves. The danger also extends to people getting behind the wheel as roads may have sudden icy patches as a result of wintry showers, according to the Met Office. The danger means a yellow warning has been extended from 5.30am today and lasting until at least 10am in Northern Ireland.

Ice warnings are in place for Northern Ireland today (
Image:
Met Office)
Others are also in place for areas of Scotland and north east England (
Image:
Met Office)

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Neil Armstrong, said: “There has been some uncertainty in the atmospheric weather patterns for the coming days, however, confidence in the forecast is improving and there is a reducing chance of snow for southern areas of the UK, although there is still a chance we may see some sleety wintry showers over higher ground in areas such as Dartmoor or Exmoor.

“Northern and northeastern areas of the UK in the moist north / northeasterly airflow continue to see a chance of snow or sleet and yellow snow and ice National Severe Weather Warnings have been issued.”

The yellow warning in Northern Ireland joins others put out in northern England and areas of Scotland in place from later today. The worst affected is in northern Scotland, where 5cm of snow is feared to accumulate amid freezing -8C conditions.

The Met Office says the chill is caused by the UK sitting in cold air which has arrived from Scandinavia and will cause temperatures to struggle to go above single digits for the rest of the week. BBC forecaster Darren Bett said temperatures are colder than normal for the time of year and frost will start developing early in the evening today in northern areas.

He added: “He said: “With the colder air across the north we have a few wintry showers moving down across Scotland and into the northeast of England. Further south across England and Wales there will be more cloud developing some light showers heading down towards the southwest where temperatures should remain above freezing because of that cloud. But elsewhere you are looking at a more widespread frost. It could be as low as -7C or -8C in some parts of Scotland.”

The UKHSA has also issued yellow and amber cold-health alerts for the health sector covering northern regions of England through until December 5.

Areas affected by yellow warnings and when

Northern Ireland

(5.30am to 10am today)

  • County Antrim

  • County Londonderry

  • County Tyrone

Scotland

(5pm today to 11am Thursday)

Central, Tayside & Fife

  • Angus

  • Dundee

  • Fife

Grampian

  • Aberdeen

  • Aberdeenshire

  • Moray

Highlands & Eilean Siar

  • Highland

North East England

  • Darlington

  • Durham

  • Gateshead

  • Hartlepool

  • Middlesbrough

  • Newcastle upon Tyne

  • North Tyneside

  • Northumberland

  • Redcar and Cleveland

  • South Tyneside

  • Stockton-on-Tees

  • Sunderland

SW Scotland, Lothian Borders

  • East Lothian

  • Edinburgh

  • Midlothian Council

  • Scottish Borders

Yorkshire & Humber

  • North Yorkshire

Central, Tayside & Fife

  • Angus

Grampian

  • Aberdeen

  • Aberdeenshire

  • Moray

Highlands & Eilean Siar

  • Na h-Eileanan Siar

  • Highland

North East England

  • Darlington

  • Durham

  • Gateshead

  • Hartlepool

  • Middlesbrough

  • Newcastle upon Tyne

  • North Tyneside

  • Northumberland

  • Redcar and Cleveland

  • South Tyneside

  • Stockton-on-Tees

  • Sunderland

Orkney & Shetland

  • Orkney Islands

  • Shetland Islands

SW Scotland, Lothian Borders

  • East Lothian

  • Scottish Borders

Yorkshire & Humber

  • East Riding of Yorkshire

  • North Yorkshire