Northern Ireland weather: Yet another Met Office Yellow warning for Ice starting today as temperatures dipped to -7.3°C in Castlederg - confirmed as the lowest of the winter so far

Also read: These are the schools closed today in Northern Ireland due to 'adverse weather' whilst travel disrupted as weather warnings continue

The warning is in place for County Antrim, County Down, County Londonderry and County Tyrone.

The news comes as the Met Office revealed the lowest temperature overnight was -7.3 °C in Castlederg, Co Tyrone, which is “also the lowest minimum of the winter so far for Northern Ireland “.

Spokesman Nicola Maxey said that “temperatures are expected to hover around low single figures for most towns across NI today, some rural areas struggling to get above freezing”.

She added that “severe frost is expected in places again tonight, especially over snow cover, with some freezing fog”.

She added that it will be “cold and cloudy on Saturday with some early rain possible in the south” and “dry on Sunday with some brightness, becoming less cold”.

According to the Met Office today ‘scattered wintry showers may lead to some icy patches and travel disruption’.

A Met Office spokesman added: ‘Scattered wintry showers on Thursday evening will slowly fade overnight, leading to the risk of icy patches on untreated surfaces as temperatures fall below freezing.

‘Isolated snow accumulations of 2-4 cm will be possible, more especially in Wales on hills above 150m elevation’.

News of the latest Met Office weather warning comes after the PSNI are advised motorists to reduce their speed due to freezing conditions and heavy fog in places this morning.

They asked motorists to ‘please reduce your speed, keep a safe distance from the car in front and drive to suit the conditions’.

Meanwhile the Met Office today forecast Northern Ireland to have a ‘mainly dry, bright and cold today’ with ‘wintry showers in the north’.

Forecasters say there will be ‘a few lingering freezing fog patches’ and icy patches with a maximum temperature 2 °C.

And tonight will be a ‘mainly dry, clear and very cold night with a widespread sharp frost’, ‘freezing fog patches’ and a ‘chance of light wintry showers along the north coast this evening’.

The minimum temperature forecast is -5 °C.

And Friday, according to the Met Office will be ‘a dry and cold day with some bright or sunny spells’ with ‘frost soon returning after dark’.

Forecasters add there will be light winds and a maximum temperature of 4 °C.

The outlook for Saturday to Monday is ‘cold and cloudy on Saturday with some early rain possible in the south’.

Meanwhile it will be ‘dry on Sunday with some brightness, becoming les cold’.

Around the UK weather warnings remain in force as Britons are braced for the mercury to plummet as low as minus 16C.

Snow ploughs became stuck in queues of traffic caused by “minor incidents”, a statement said.

Ploughs have been fitted to gritters which were working into Thursday morning to clear routes in the area, police and highways officials said.

other snow and ice warning is in force for Northern Ireland until 11am on Thursday as sleet and snow showers are set to continue.

As icy conditions persist, motorists are being urged to stick to major roads that are most likely to have been gritted.

Car insurer RAC said it has seen the highest levels of demand for rescues in a three-day period since December 2022.

“Cold conditions will last until at least the weekend, so we urge drivers to remain vigilant of the risks posed by ice and, in some locations, snow,” said RAC breakdown spokeswoman Alice Simpson.

“Black ice on rural roads can be impossible to spot, leaving very little time to react if driving at speed. Sticking to major roads that are most likely to have been gritted is strongly recommended.”

Oli Claydon, spokesman for the Met Office, told the PA news agency it will be “bitterly cold” on Thursday night.

He said the lowest temperatures will be recorded in rural Scotland and rural northern England where there is lying snow, cloudless skies and very cold airflow.

A temperature of minus 14C would equal the lowest seen in this month last year, recorded in Dalwhinnie in the Scottish Highlands on January 17 2024.

But a temperature of minus 16C would be the lowest recorded in January in the UK for 15 years, since minus 22.3C was logged in Altnaharra in the Highlands on January 8 2010, according to Met Office data.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended its cold weather health alert for all of England until Sunday.

Amber alerts have been extended and will now run until January 12, meaning a rise in deaths is likely, the agency said.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UKHSA, said: “We are extending the duration of our Cold-Health Alert, since the Met Office are forecasting that the low temperatures we are seeing will continue further into this week, with snow and icy conditions likely to persist.

“This weather can have a serious impact on the health of some people, including those aged 65 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions, and it is therefore vital that we continue to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.

“These people could be more at risk of heart attacks, stroke and chest infections as a result of cold temperatures.”

The country has been hit by widespread flooding in recent days and a danger to life flood warning was issued for Barrow upon Soar in Leicestershire as firefighters had to rescue dozens of people stranded in rising water.

Scores of flood warnings and alerts remain in place for England, but hundreds have been removed and the weather is set to be drier over the next few days.