Snow flurries are forecast to hit parts of the UK after Britons shivered through the coldest night of the winter so far.

The mercury plunged to minus 10.8C (12.56F) in Braemar, Aberdeenshire at about 6.10am on Friday morning, the Met Office said, beating the previous mark of minus 10.5C (13.1F) recorded there on January 3.

Yellow weather warnings for ice and snow along the east coast of England and hill snow in Wales were in place on Friday morning after the cold start.

Weather warning for snow
(PA Graphics)

A further warning was issued for snow over hills in the south of Scotland, northern England and north Midlands from 1pm and through the evening.

The Met Office said some roads and railways were likely to be affected as a band of rain, sleet and snow moves slowly east across England and southern Scotland.

While Friday evening rush-hour falls in the middle of the latest warning, forecaster Bonnie Diamond said the snow would largely miss urban or lower rural areas.

Coldest UK January temperatures
(PA Graphics)

She said: “It’s expected 2cm to 4cm could accumulate over higher ground which could affect driving conditions, possibly some public transport, longer journey times.

“As that band pushes across the rest of the country, areas of higher ground in southern Scotland, the Pennines and the Midlands will see that rain turning to snow here, so could cause disruption through this afternoon and evening.”

Highest temperatures on Friday are expected to be felt in Plymouth, in the South West, with 10C (50F) forecast.

But the Met Office said this was “not really reflective” of how the rest of the country would fare, which would feel “considerably colder”.

Overnight into the weekend will not be as cold as the previous night, Ms Diamond said, due to cloud cover over much of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

She said: “Much of the country’s temperatures will stay above freezing overnight, with lows generally between 2C and 5C (35.6F – 41F), however the exception being northern Scotland where it’s going to be a very cold night, with temperatures falling down to at least probably minus 9-10C (15.8-14F).”

Saturday will stay cold, with showers across the south of England, while Sunday “looks to be for many” the better day.

It will turn brighter through the afternoon as the sun starts breaking through the cloud, especially in the west of the country, Ms Diamond said.

A widespread frost is expected overnight into Monday, she said, adding that the cold spell is expected to last until “at least” February.