Britain faces a blast of cold weather this weekend as the country settles into winter with sub-zero temperatures.
The mercury is tonight forecast to dip between -3C and -5C in rural spots across Britain, with the country starting to feel a lot more like winter in the coming days, the Met Office says.
High pressure is set to be ‘in charge over the next week at least’, though it will not be as cold over the weekend, with temperatures for most staying above freezing on Friday night, possibly down to -1 or -2 Celsius in places.
This morning began ‘cold and frosty in many places’ with temperatures around -1C in Aberdeen, Birmingham and Belfast at 6am today, with Glasgow, Hull and Stornoway at a chilly 0C.
But there will still be plenty of sunshine across Britain, meteorologists say, despite temperatures staying a little cooler than the past few days.
It will stay dry for most but a few showers could drizzle across coastal regions in the north, with pockets of freezing fog most likely taking all morning to lift in a few places.
Northampton today: Heavy frost and mist for the dog walkers are pictured early morning in Abington Park. The mercury is tonight forecast to dip between -3C and -5C in rural spots across Britain
The golden glow of sunrise at Langland Bay near Swansea this morning. Temperatures were widely around or below freezing early morning across Britain, but with a ‘beautiful autumn day with crisp sunshine for most of us’ with temperatures rising to high single figures
A low mist covers the fields in the Vale of Pewsey near to Marlborough in Wiltshire on the morning of November 26
A walker observes the fog and mist at dawn from the Malvern Hills looking over Worcestershire this morning
Temperatures were widely around or below freezing early morning across Britain, but a ‘beautiful autumn day with crisp sunshine for most of us’ awaits with temperatures rising to high single figures.
Met Office Meteorologist Aiden McGivern says: ‘Fast forward to Friday and again, frost and fog in place, and I think the fog will be a bit more extensive, and it’s more likely to be quite widespread across northern, intro central and south western parts of England.’
‘Some low cloud as well, so a gloomy start in some places, for example northern and central England the fog could last all day
‘Meanwhile weather fronts across Scotland and Northern Ireland will bring thicker cloud and a milder start to the day with less fog, but perhaps some patchy rain later Friday into western Scotland.
‘It’s not going to last, it’s not going to be like the wet start to the week.’
Saturday will start with frost and fog again, with denser patches across northern England, but again with sunshine for the majority.
‘Where the fog does linger, it’s going to be a colder day,’ Mr McGivern said.
Sunday will see a dry, settled day with rain staying away until later in the day.
Next week will be more of the same for the first few days, Mr McGivern says, as the country enters meteorological winter.
Bonnie Diamond, Met Office Meteorologist and Press Officer, told MailOnline: ‘High pressure over the UK over the next few days means it’ll feel cold with the risk of frost and fog.
A low mist covers the fields in the Vale of Pewsey near to Marlborough in Wiltshire on this morning of Thursday, November 26
Temperatures were widely around or below freezing early morning across Britain, but a ‘beautiful autumn day with crisp sunshine for most of us’ awaits with temperatures rising to high single figures
A lone swimmer leaves the water after her swim in the sea which is bathed in the golden glow of sunrise at Langland Bay near Swansea this morning
Dog walkers observe the fog and mist at dawn from the Malvern Hills looking over Worcestershire on November 26
A low mist covers the fields in the Vale of Pewsey near to Marlborough in Wiltshire as Britain faces coming winter frost
‘Today will be dry for many with bright, sunny spells developing through the day, though it’ll stay cloudy across the south east with some patchy rain.
‘Some rain tonight in northwest Scotland, elsewhere it’ll be a clear and cold night with quite widespread frost and freezing fog patches developing.
‘On Friday fog patches will be slow to clear and may persist through the day, most likely central and eastern England.
‘Some rain for northwest Scotland and southern England, but brighter skies for southern Scotland, northern England, west Wales and parts of Northern Ireland.
‘Saturday will start cloudy with further fog patches, but bright spells may develop for some through the day.’
It comes after a weakening band of rain moved southeast across Britain on Wednesday, becoming slow moving across the far southeast of England.