UK weather: More wintry conditions on the way after temperatures drop as low as -7.7C

More wintry weather – including sleet and snow in places – is forecast for the UK later this week after temperatures dropped below freezing two nights in a row.

Thermometers plunged as low as -7.7C in Shap, Cumbria, on Friday night and -5C in parts of Scotland on Saturday night.

Many other parts of northern England and Wales also experienced conditions below zero overnight.

A brief return to slightly milder conditions would make way for a widespread chilly spell, with figures potentially falling as low as -8C, the Met Office has said.

Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said: “Overall, (it is) generally a cold week to come – less cold tonight into tomorrow morning (Monday), for a time a short, less cold spell, before frost and fog are the main features initially.

“Then (there is) potential for some rain and some hill snow as we move through the latter part of Wednesday into Thursday.”

England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be quite cloudy with outbreaks of rain on Monday morning, before an area of low pressure pulls southeastwards towards the continent to create brighter spells.

Figures will peak in double figures in southern England and Wales on Monday but will begin to slide heading into Tuesday.

A frosty evening is expected in many areas on Tuesday, with temperatures of around -2C to -5C. They could fall as low as -8C in the far north of England and rural Scotland.

Then on Thursday up to 5cm of snow could fall in parts of Wales and northwest England over higher ground.

Find out the forecast for your area

Smaller amounts may also fall at lower levels too, forecasters said.

Dartmoor, the Pennines and parts of Scotland are also at risk of some sleet or snow.

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Many regions are also likely to experience severe frosts, icy stretches and patchy freezing fog.

The cold conditions over the weekend came as the Northern Lights – also known as aurora borealis – were spotted across parts of the UK.

The colourful waves were reportedly witnessed in the skies above parts of Scotland, northeast England, Suffolk and Essex.

Another phenomenon called Moon haloes – when moonlight is reflected by ice crystals in the air producing a white halo effect – was also seen in areas further south.