New Delhi (NVI): Britain recorded the lowest temperature in 26 years on Thursday after a bitingly cold blast of Siberian weather swirled in from Russia, pushing temperatures down to -23°C in the Scottish Highlands.
The Met Office recorded a low of -23°C in Braemar in the Scottish Highlands overnight.
Forecasters believe it was the coldest night since temperatures dipped to -27.2°C on December 30, 1995, and the coldest February night since 1955.
Earlier on Thursday, the Met Office had recorded a low of -20.5°C at Kinbrace and -21.4°C in Braemar in the Scottish highlands overnight – those were the lowest temperature recorded in the UK since December 23, 2010, when the thermometers plunged to -22.3°C.
The record-breaking temperatures come after a freezing night for much of the UK, with temperatures seeming reluctant to climb in the aftermath of Storm Darcy.
Swathes of Britain have been bathed in snow for days after the cold spell swept in from Scandinavia and Russia: roads were blocked, the fountains in Trafalgar Square froze and children tried to toboggan in London parks.
The lowest temperature recorded in England and Wales was at Ravensworth, in north Yorkshire, which dropped to -13.1°C.
Meanwhile, yellow weather warnings have been issued for the eastern half of Scotland and England, Devon, and southwest Wales, with residents alerted that they could face travel disruption running into Saturday.
-CHK
