North East weekend weather forecast as UK sees coldest January night in 15 years

The North East is still in the grip of freezing temperatures and icy conditions as the January cold snap persists - but a change in weather is on the way for the region next week.

Met Office weather maps showed temperatures plunging as low as -7°C in parts of the region on Friday night, with many areas waking up to a widespread frost. Across the UK, the lowest recorded temperature was -18.7°C in the Scottish Highlands, officially making it the coldest January night in 15 years.

The cold weather has offered little chance for last weekend's snow to melt, forcing some of this weekend's events to be called off including the majority of Parkruns in the region. Meanwhile, popular attractions including Cragside, Vindolanda and Wallington have all confirmed that they will not be opening over the weekend due to icy conditions in their grounds.

READ MORE: List of North East events cancelled and venues closed this weekend due to winter weather

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Freezing temperatures have led the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to extend its cold weather health alert for all of England until Tuesday. Amber alerts have been extended and will now run until January 14, meaning a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, is likely, the agency said.

While the weekend is expected to be very cold across the North East, with highs of just 3°C expected, next week is forecast to bring milder weather with temperatures climbing into double figures across the region. Here's the latest hour-by-hour forecast to see what's in store.

Hour-by-hour forecast for Saturday, January 11 in Newcastle

• 9am: -2°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 10am: -1°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 11am: 0°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 12pm: 1°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 1pm: 2°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 2pm: 2°C / Sunny intervals / <5% chance of precipitation

• 3pm: 1°C / Sunny intervals / <5% chance of precipitation

• 4pm: 0°C / Cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 5pm: 0°C / Cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 6pm: 0°C / Cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 7pm: 0°C / Partly cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 8pm: 0°C / Partly cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 9pm: 0°C / Partly cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 10pm: 0°C / Partly cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 11pm: 0°C / Partly cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

Hour-by-hour forecast for Sunday, January 12 in Newcastle

• 6am: 0°C / Partly cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation

• 7am: -1°C / Clear / <5% chance of precipitation

• 8am: -1°C / Clear / <5% chance of precipitation

• 9am: 0°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 10am: 0°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 11am: 1°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 12pm: 2°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 1pm: 3°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 2pm: 3°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 3pm: 3°C / Sunny / <5% chance of precipitation

• 4pm: 2°C / Clear / <5% chance of precipitation

• 5pm: 1°C / Clear / <5% chance of precipitation

• 6pm: 1°C / Clear / <5% chance of precipitation

• 7pm: 1°C / Clear / <5% chance of precipitation

• 8pm: 1°C / Clear / <5% chance of precipitation

• 9pm: 1°C / Clear / <5% chance of precipitation

• 10pm: 1°C / Clear / <5% chance of precipitation

• 11pm: 1°C / Partly cloudy / <5% chance of precipitation