UK braces for another freezing night with temperatures expected to hit minus 15C

The Met Office has forecast a further plummet in temperatures overnight on Saturday potentially reaching minus 15C. This cold streak follows after temperatures dropped to a jaw-dropping minus 18.9C on Saturday morning in Altnaharra, located in the northernmost area of the Highlands, marking the UK's coldest January night in a decade and a half.

Typically, northern Scotland registers an average low of around 0.3C, while England experiences overnight lows of approximately 1.5C to 1.6C at this time of year.

Saturday saw a stark contrast in temperatures across the UK, with the Isles of Scilly enjoying milder maximums of 11.3C while Altnaharra grappled with a bitter minus 9.3C.

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Zoe Hutin, a Met Office meteorologist, highlighted that rural areas in Scotland might see the mercury dip as low as minus 15C on Saturday night – around 10C below the seasonal average.

She added: "This is probably the last very, very cold night expected, we’ve got a trend towards something a little bit milder."

Additionally, the Met Office is monitoring the potential for freezing fog on Saturday night, which might occur in the east. Meanwhile, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has decided to extend its cold weather health alert across England until Tuesday.

Amber alerts, signifying probable increases in deaths, notably among those over 65 or with existing health issues, will continue until January 14, according to the agency.

Sunday is expected to present an east/west temperature divide in the country, with the east seeing highs of just 3C or 4C and the west experiencing warmer conditions ranging between 7C and 8C, and possibly up to 9C.