Britain colder than South Pole tonight as temperatures plunge to -16C

Britain will be colder than the South Pole tonight, as temperatures plummet to a bone-rattling -16C.

It is expected to be the coldest night of the year – and the lowest temperatures we have faced since 2012.

Drivers have been warned the severe cold means gritting on the roads will not be as effective as usual.

The coldest parts of the UK will be in the Scottish Highlands, where forecasters have predicted a bitter -16C.

Meanwhile, southern England has also been warned it could dip to -10C in areas around Basingstoke and Andover in Hampshire.

The region was also covered in snow on Friday causing traffic chaos on motorways across south west England.

But Braemar in Aberdeenshire in Scotland will be where the mercury falls the most – and will be colder than the Belgrano II research base in Antarctica which is expected to be -14C tomorrow.

On Friday, temperatures dropped to -15.4C in the town as hotel guests wrapped up warm for walks in the snow and had log fires roaring.

The base is the closest research station to the South Pole – 800 miles away.

The AA warns grit spreading on the roads might not help in areas where it falls below -5C and is virtually non-effective at temperatures lower than -9C.

If temperatures reach the predicted levels, it will be the coldest recorded in Britain since February 2012 but not as cold as the overall record which is the -21.3C recorded in Altnaharra in Scotland in December 2010.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for ice in eastern, south west and south east England and London with more white stuff predicted on Monday.

It said: "After dark, temperatures will fall rapidly and untreated wet surfaces, particularly those where snow has partly melted and then refreezes, will become very icy."

Further warnings have been issued for snow and ice overnight into Monday as rain turns to snow across eastern parts of Scotland and northern England.

Weather forecasters say the winter is not over and are predicting a ‘Valentine’s Freeze’ from February 14 with more plunging temperatures and snow expected for the second half of the month.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said: "Exceptionally low temperatures of -16C in Scotland and -10C in England’s South are possible on Sunday morning, with ice. Monday morning has -6C possible in Scotland and -3C in northern England.

"Snow showers are forecast on Sunday and Monday in Scotland, with rain in England as it turns milder and windier.

"Gusts are forecast to reach 40mph on Monday in the West and 50mph on Thursday in western Scotland.

"Most forecast models agree temperatures will dip again from around February 14 onwards, with potential for temperatures well below zero, further snow showers and a north to north-easterly flow, although there is uncertainty."

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