UK weather forecast LIVE – Temperatures to reach balmy 17C by next weekend as the UK’s record-breaking Big Freeze ends

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Laleham-on-Thames was flooded today after the Thames burst its banks in Surrey.

FLOOD WARNINGS FOR ENGLAND

There are 42 flood warnings in place across England.

To see if your area is affected - click .

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Fire and rescue officers pump water away from flooded homes in Houghton-le-Spring.

TONIGHT'S FORECAST

Further rain, heavy at times, across central and northern parts, with snow on hills.

Frosty in the far north with clear spells and wintry showers.

Mostly dry in the south, a few fog patches forming.

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WARNINGS IN PLACE FOR REST OF WEEK

There are several weather warnings in place for the rest of the week.

Yellow warnings turn to amber on Friday and Saturday with heavy snow expected to cause disruption to transport and utilities.

CLASH OF COLD AND MILD AIR WILL CONTINUE FOR THE WEEK

TOMORROW'S FORECAST

 Overcast with outbreaks of rain across northern England and Northern Ireland.

Snow across Scotland which will be heavy at times with significant accumulations.

A dry start with sunny spells across Wales and southern and central England but cloud will build from the south bringing scattered showers.

LIVERPOOL SET FOR A WET AND WINDY WEEK

Despite a lack of weather warnings, Liverpool is in for a wet and windy week.

Rain will eventually calm down in the early hours of Wednesday, after heavy showers throughout this afternoon with thunder in some places.

Temperatures remain mild with highs of 8C.

Tomorrow will bring further showers for the majority of the day and persistent winds, with the odd brighter spell.

THREE DAYS OF SNOW IN SCOTLAND

Three days of snow have been forecast for Edinburgh this weekend.

Yellow Met Office warnings will be in place on from midnight on Thursday across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as forecasters warned to expect "prolonged periods of snow and snow showers" which will likely cause disruption.

Other issues could include power cuts, lack of signal, travel problems and even cut-offs from rural communities.

Large parts of Scotland will be affected, with the warning covering Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife, the central belt and much of the north of the country.

COLD WEATHER PAYMENT ADDS YORKSHIRE POSTCODES

Yorkshire postcodes are now entitled to at least one cold weather payment, after the list was updated with 86 postcodes.

The Government have been offering £25 discounts on energy bills for those worse affected by the plummeting temperatures based on areas badly affected.

The Department for Work and Pensions run the scheme from November until the end of March, and it requires postcodes to fall to zero degrees or below for at least seven consecutive days to qualify.

Check if your area qualifies

NHS staff praised for spurring on with vaccine rollout despite poor weather conditions.

FEBRUARY LIGHTS UP OUR LIVES

The month of February is bringing some much needed light to our lives - with a lot more hours of sunlight.

By the end of the month, the sun will rise before 7am and set just before 6pm.

Which means we all need to think of a new excuse for not getting out of bed instead of "these dark mornings"...

SNOW CAUSES VACCINE AND SCHOOL HAVOC, APPOINTMENTS CANCELLED

Snow caused "operational issues" for the coronavirus vaccine rollout as early morning appointments were postponed in Harrogate and Ripon yesterday, according to the North Yorkshire clinical commissioning groups.

Accountable officer Amanda Bloor said the delivery of vaccines in the region was "on target."

North Yorkshire County Council's corporate director for children and young people's services, Stuart Carlton, said some schools have reopened today after being closed due to the weather.

Northumberland County Council has warned some residents refuse is unable to be collected until Friday afternoon due to road conditions.

WATCH: Met Office says a clash of mild and cold air will bring rain and snow

MET OFFICE SPOKESMAN DISCUSSES WEEK OF WEATHER

Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said to expect: "Quite widespread and quite significant snow accumulations in that region of Scotland."

Some communities "might be cut off for several days" and "long interruptions" to power supplies could occur, he warned.

Mr Claydon said the wintry conditions were being driven by a "cold pool of air" over Scotland, with the area of low pressure bringing the snow risk moving slowly southwards by the end of the weekend.

"That then brings the wintery hazards to much wider parts of the UK," he said.

Mr Claydon said yellow warnings were in place for "rain hazards" over Northern Ireland and parts of North East England on Wednesday and into Thursday.

UK COULD SEE UP TO 30CM OF SNOW THIS WEEK

Parts of the UK could be blanketed with up to 30cm (11.8 inches) of snow this week, leaving drivers stranded, public transport disrupted and rural communities cut off for "several days", forecasters have warned.

Prolonged snowfall, heavy rain or icy conditions are expected to hit various areas between Wednesday and Monday, bringing potential flooding, delays to train and bus services and affecting power supplies.

The Met Office has issued several weather warnings for the next few days, including a 66-hour-long yellow warning for snow over much of Scotland from 6pm on Thursday to midday on Sunday.

An amber warning, the Met Office's second highest alert level, warns of persistent snow hitting central and northern Scotland from midnight on Friday to 6pm on Saturday.

MOBILE HOMES FLOOD IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE

Mobile homes at a marina in Cambridgeshire have flooded today after the River Great Ouse burst its banks following heavy rainfall.

Residents had to be evacuated after the homes by a marina near Huntingdon were left underwater, as motorists were also seen struggling to drive along flooded roads.

It comes as more rain and snow are expected this week, with the Environment Agency issuing 43 flood warnings and 159 flood alerts across the country today.

The Met Office has put a yellow warning in place for heavy rain in the north of England until midday tomorrow.

A car making its way through the huge snowfall at a Scottish estate in the Highlands.

JANUARY WAS THE COLDEST IN A DECADE

Last month was the coldest January across the UK in 10 years, The Met Office said.

The first month of 2021 recorded an average temperature of 2.2C, the coldest temperatures since 2010 when the average was 0.9C.

As well as this, it was also the coldest calendar month since March 2013, which recorded an identical average temperature of 2.2C.

TODAYS FORECAST FOR MANCHESTER

Today:

The North sees a cloudy and windy day for most with outbreaks of rain, sleet, and hill snow persisting throughout. Further south is milder and welcomes some brief sunny intervals, yet there's a risk of some heavy showers. Maximum temperature 9C.

Tonight:

Through the evening and overnight there is outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow in the north, with further outbreaks of rain moving up from the south. Minimum temperature -1C.

ODDS CUT ON FEBRUARY BEING A RECORD WET MONTH

Leading bookmaker Coral has cut the odds on this month ending as the wettest February since records began to 4-5 (from 6-4).

The firm goes 5-4 for this month to be a record cold February, while it is now evens for this to finish to as the coldest winter ever.

"With torrential downpours forecast for the next few days, this month is getting off to a wet start. We now make it odds-on to finish as the wettest February since records began," said Coral's John Hill.

"Temperatures are also set to fall this week so it is no surprise that the odds have been cut for this month to be a record cold February and for winter to end as the coldest ever in the UK," added Hill.

Coral’s UK weather odds:

4-5 Wettest February since records began

Evens Coldest winter on record

5-4 This February to be coldest on record

TODAY'S FORECAST FOR LONDON

Today:

Spells of heavy rain will hit most counties first, before it slowly clears in the east throughout the morning. In Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire it remains largely dry and bright, which extends throughout the region over the afternoon, with a maximum temperature of 10C.

Tonight:

This evening is dry and sees largely clear skies, but the nighttime brings light yet cold winds. Patch low clouds over the hills and a chance of ground frost in rural areas, with a minimum temperature of 2C.

GREAT PHOTOGRAPH SHOWING 24 HOURS DIFFERENCE DURING THE WINTER SEASON

MET OFFICE METEOROLOGIST SAYS ITS WEATHER COULD BE SIMILAR TO 2018 BEAST FROM THE EAST

Met Office meteorologist Grahame Madge said: 'We are likely to see very cold conditions extend across the UK in a similar set-up to the Beast from the East in 2018 but the air is coming from the Baltic and Scandinavia rather than Siberia."

"The area of high pressure is likely to remain in situ with its duration extending as far ahead as we can see.

"It'll present quite a shock to some people, with temperatures in the South being quite mild at present. We're likely to have ice warnings, frosty nights, mist and fog."

The low pressure could create a large amount of snow, similar to when Storm Emma met the Beast from the East three years ago.

"As was the risk with the Beast from the East, we could get a storm coming in from the Atlantic like Ellen, which could bring a tremendous amount of snowfall," Madge said.

WILL FEBRUARY BRING A BEAST FROM THE EAST?

Forecasters have warned ferocious easterly winds will continue throughout February, bringing an onslaught of "disruptive snow" with them.

Cold air from the east could engulf the UK, as freezing cold air from Russia makes its way across Europe and over the British Isles - similar to the circumstances of the Beast from the East in 2018.

Snow showers are much more likely this time around, and Scotland could be hit by a mighty four feet of snow in the second week of February.

The Weather Outlook said: "There is a significant change of a very cold period, even in the South, of the UK."