Freezing temperatures continue with highs of 1C in Newport

Temperatures have plunged over the past few days, with the Met Office issuing a yellow snow and ice warning covering northern Scotland and north-east England from midnight until noon on Thursday.

Today’s forecast has highs of one degree in Newport between 11am and 5pm, either side of which the mercury will drop to freezing. However, the Met Office has said the evening could feel as cold as minus five thanks to the wintery winds.

In Chepstow, temperatures are not set to rise above one degree all day, while in Pontypool, the temperature will peak at zero degrees between 11am and 4pm, falling to minus one in the morning and evening.

Fog is forecast for the morning in Ebbw Vale, with temperatures of minus two either side of a cloudy period in the middle of the day at minus one.

Caerphilly will see highs of two degrees in the early afternoon, the Met Office said, although this will drop to freezing in the evening.

A Met Office spokesperson said: “Staying generally dry with early freezing fog or low cloud in the east lifting.

“Largely cloudy with the best of any sunshine in northern parts of Wales.

“Feeling cold. Maximum temperature three degrees.”

Traffic Wales’ gritters have been out on the roads last night and this morning, however, after chaos across the UK on Monday, Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon urged commuters to “leave a little bit more time” if driving and to travel with “a bit of extra caution”.

Rod Dennis from the RAC told the PA News Agency that their teams were “exceptionally busy” on Monday, helping more than 7,500 motorists with breakdowns, which was 50 per cent more than what they would see on a typical Monday in December, he said.

Looking ahead to the rest of the week, the forecast reads: “Staying cold with sharp overnight frosts.

“Mainly dry with plenty of sunshine for many, but a few wintry showers are possible in coastal areas.

“Breezy at first, but winds easing.”