TONIGHT could be the coldest night of winter as a -12 ° C bone cooler hits Britain.

Temperatures will drop to extremely cold levels before a new swath of snow and sleet hits the UK.

Parts of northern England and Scotland are already covered in white matter, and more are on the way.

Meteorologists have warned that mercury could drop to -12 ° C in central Scotland overnight and stay well below zero in other parts of the country.

It will also be the Baltic elsewhere, with temperatures hovering around -6 ° C in Preston, -5 ° C in Stafford and -4 ° C in Oxford, according to weather maps.

Any temperature below -10 ° C will see it surpass the sub-zero temperatures recorded in November 2021, making it the coldest night of the season so far.

Today, a yellow ice weather advisory already exists for the West Midlands, East Midlands, Wales and the North West of England.

The Met Office has urged the British to be careful as the rains moving south-east fall on subzero surfaces, creating patches of ice and the risk of slips, falls and accidents on the road.

Tough conditions will continue through tomorrow, with three more advisories in effect for snow and ice.

These cover much of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland with “frequent showers of sleet, hail and snow” and six inches of the expected white matter.

Another beating will hit on Friday, with warnings covering Scotland, the west of England and Northern Ireland until 11 a.m.

Meteorologists warn: “Frequent sleet and snow showers can cause difficult driving conditions and interrupt travel on Friday mornings. “

Power outages are also possible, with the risk of “isolated” lightning strikes.

Met Office meteorologist Claire Nasir said: “Through much of the country as of Wednesday we were bathed in cold air.

“As we head into Wednesday night, with clearer skies and a lighter breeze, we will see temperatures drop very quickly, so expect widespread frost.

“Temperatures will drop to around -4 ° C in England and Wales and -10 ° C in the snowy fields of Scotland.

“Over time, a high pressure ridge will expand, so we will see pretty heavy frosts until Thursday morning before softer Atlantic air comes in with a band of clouds and rain.

“When the rain meets the colder air, it will turn to snow. It’s cooler from behind too, so gusts are likely through Friday. “

The cold snap has led bookmakers to reduce the odds that this month will be the coldest January on record to 6/4.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “Weather advisories are being issued to the left, right and center, and the odds suggest that that could lead to a record cold month ahead. “

In addition to the freezing weather, there are also 11 flood warnings and 47 flood alerts in effect across England, as well as two in Scotland and Wales.