Cold winds to hit the UK, with some regions facing "blizzard conditions"
The UK Health Security Agency has urged people to check on vulnerable people in the coming days.
Parts of the UK will face localised blizzard conditions and up to 80mph winds as the mild seasonal highs of the past few days are replaced by a cold front.
Warm winds from the mid-Atlantic meant temperatures hovered around the 16C mark in parts of the UK at the turn of the year, making it the warmest New Year's Eve and New Year's Day on record.
However, that warm spell appears to be over, with today being "noticeably colder across the whole of the country", the Met Office said, with temperatures peaking at 8C or 9C in the South and about 4C or 5C in Scotland.
In England, this might bring snow over the Pennines and North York moors, but it will be "pretty wet stuff", forecaster Simon Partridge said.
The Met Office has also made warnings of "slushy accumulations" forming across the North West of the UK.
Mr Partridge said that those in the South will also feel the chill from today, as the winds could make the 8C temperature mark feel much harsher.
"It will definitely be colder, so if you're going out, think about an extra layer, you might need anything to keep the wind out because it's not going to be pretty," he added.
Wednesday in the west is likely to be a "dry, bright day" as the winds drop, with few showers, but Thursday will see a "band of rain" move in, with icy temperatures overnight.
Towns in the South could face temperatures of minus 4C on Thursday morning.
Mr Partridge said: "It's basically what we should have for this time in January; it's just that we've been so mild for so long that it's suddenly a bit of a shock to the system."
The UK Health Security Agency has urged people to check on vulnerable people in the coming days.
However, in Aberdeenshire and northern and eastern Scotland, winds of up to 80mph could create "localised blizzard conditions", with the Met Office issuing warnings of snow and ice for travellers.
Aviemore, in Scotland, saw five centimetres of snow on Monday, which would be added to overnight, Mr Partridge said, suggesting that this might be "good news" for the Cairngorms town's ski resorts.
"But I'm not sure they'll be overly happy about the strength of the wind," he added.
Elsewhere, in Lincolnshire or the Pennines, any snow is likely to be "slushy stuff" over the next few days.
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