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Cold weather: Record 2014 freeze for England, Wales and Northern Ireland Cold weather: Lowest UK temperature of 2014 recorded
(about 3 hours later)
Temperatures have plunged to their lowest recorded levels of the year in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. A new record low temperature for 2014 has been reached in the UK.
In Northern Ireland, temperatures fell to -8.1C (17.4F) overnight, while parts of England dropped to -7.6C, and -5.6C was recorded in Wales, BBC Weather said. Scotland also saw falls to -6.7C. Katesbridge in County Down saw a low of -8.8C (16.2F) recorded overnight.
But it has not yet beaten the coldest day of 2014 - recorded at -8.9C in Aberdeenshire in early December. Temperatures also fell to their lowest recorded levels of the year in England and Wales between Sunday and Monday.
The Met Office has warned of possible dangers to vulnerable patients. Parts of England dropped to -7.6C while -6.4C was recorded in Wales, BBC Weather said.
A Met Office cold weather alert, which remains in place until 12:00 GMT on Wednesday for northern England and the Midlands, warns of the potential health risks. Scotland also saw falls to -7.7C in Braemar, Aberdeenshire.
The lowest temperature overnight was recorded at -8.1C in Katesbridge, County Down, beating Northern Ireland's previous 2014 low of -6.2C, BBC Weather's Peter Sloss said. Weather and travel info
A new 2014 low in England was also recorded, with temperatures plunging to -7.6C in Oxfordshire - colder than the -6.8C recorded earlier this month. The lowest temperature of the year for Scotland so far was also recorded in Braemar, when it plunged to -8.5C on Saturday.
In south Wales, temperatures were recorded at -5.6C, compared to -5.1C recorded earlier this year. The coldest place in England overnight was Benson, Oxfordshire, which had also previously held the record for the lowest temperature of the year in England when it reached -6.8C on 6 December.
The lowest temperature recorded at a Met Office Weather station this year was -8.9C (16F) at Braemar, Aberdeenshire, in early December. Wales' lowest temperature of the year was recorded in Pembrey Sands, South Wales.
It comes as parts of the UK have already been hit by sub-zero temperatures and forecasters have warned of further plunging temperatures over the next three days. BBC Weather's Peter Sloss said the cold temperatures mean it is already colder now than it was during "a good chunk of last winter", from January to March.
On Saturday, the lowest overnight recorded temperature was just above -5C (23F) in Perthshire with "widespread" frost hitting large areas of the country, the BBC Weather Centre said. Sunshine on Monday is expected to raise temperatures during the day, he added.
A Met Office cold weather alert, which remains in place until 12:00 GMT on Wednesday for northern England and the Midlands, warns of potential health risks vulnerable patients.
The record lows come as parts of the UK have already been hit by sub-zero temperatures and forecasters warned of further plunging temperatures over the next three days.
The amber - level three - alert in place for the North of England and Midlands is one below a national emergency and indicates social and healthcare services should target "high-risk" groups, such as the very young or old, or those with chronic diseases.The amber - level three - alert in place for the North of England and Midlands is one below a national emergency and indicates social and healthcare services should target "high-risk" groups, such as the very young or old, or those with chronic diseases.
A yellow - level two - alert is in place in the rest of England indicating social and healthcare services should be working to ensure they are ready for a period of cold weather.A yellow - level two - alert is in place in the rest of England indicating social and healthcare services should be working to ensure they are ready for a period of cold weather.
Weather and travel info
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