
Overnight temperatures are plummeting well below freezing in many places across the UK, the Met Office says, as wintry showers are expected to continue on Friday.
Rain, sleet and snow are expected to fall before the weekend, with temperatures close to freezing.
Overnight Friday to Saturday, the thermometer will hit -2C in London, -3C elsewhere in the south, and -4C or -5C in the northwest, forecasters predicted.
Met Office chief meteorologist Frank Saunders said: “Where the showers fall as rain, there is a risk of icy patches forming overnight with temperatures widely dipping below freezing.
“A number of National Severe Weather Warnings have been issued and these are likely to be updated over the coming days.”
Sadiq Khan has activated the Severe Emergency Weather Protocol as the capital is set to freeze for several days.
Rough sleepers will have access to emergency accommodation wherever they are, announced the mayor of London.
A yellow alert for snow and ice was in force across swathes of the UK.
But millions of drivers ignore severe weather alerts, a new survey suggested.

