UK weather: London warned to brace for icy conditions following Arctic blast overnight

A yellow warning for ice has been issued across the parts of the UK on 24 February as temperatures are expected to drop as low as -10C overnight. Londoners have been issued a "be aware" ice warning as the capital will see lows of -3C.

Forecasters are warning that temperatures will fall below freezing for most of the night of 24 February and early into 25 February, with some places seeing a risk of wintry showers. Clear spells will then allow the roads and pavements to freeze, causing slippery surfaces.

A chief forecaster for the Met Office said: "Temperatures will fall below freezing on Wednesday night (24 February), with a risk of scattered wintry showers falling on sub-zero surfaces. This leads to a risk of icy patches on untreated roads and pavements on Thursday morning (25 February). Please be aware of the risk of some locally difficult driving conditions, and some low level travel disruption."

The night of 23 February was recorded as the coldest night of the season so far, with temperatures of -7C recorded in Topcliffe. Similar conditions are expected to continue throughout the week, with the Met Office warning that an Arctic air is flowing into UK airspace.

Ice warnings have been issued for northern Scotland, Wales, the Midlands and southern parts of England. A snow alert has also been issued for Orkney and Shetland, bringing 5-10cm of snow in some places. A widespread frost in this region is also expected and difficult travelling conditions have been predicted for the region.

Forecasters have also said that parts of southern England could see some snowfall, particularly Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Milton Keynes. A spokesperson for the Met Office said: "Light snow showers may give a temporary dusting of snow away from coasts."

The cold conditions are expected to continue into the beginning of March, with temperatures remaining slightly below normal and occasional overnight frosts turning "severe" in the north. Cold weather has also been predicted through most of March, with the Met Office saying that "cold and changeable conditions look to dominate" through the month.