A cold snap will leave parts of the UK chillier than Iceland’s capital Reykjavik this week.

Britons have been warned to wrap up warm as temperatures drop, with Thursday expected to be the coldest night of the year.

A day before the official start to winter on 1 December, the mercury is expected to drop as low as -10C in the Scottish Highlands, according to the Met Office.

The UK’s lowest temperature this year so far was recorded at Topcliffe in North Yorkshire, where it dropped to -6.3C.

Meanwhile, Reykjavik is due to have a high of 7C later in the week and Helsinki, the capital of Finland, will see temperatures between 3C and 4C.

Chief Met Office Meteorologist Steve Willington said: “Across the UK people will be feeling some pretty raw conditions as we go towards the start of winter, Thursday will feel especially cold with a biting northerly wind."

Grahame Madge, a spokesman for the Met Office, said: “The weather situation is that it’s likely to be getting colder as we go towards Thursday and into Friday.

"Pretty much everywhere in the UK will be within touching distance of freezing.

"In Scotland air temperatures could drop down to -10C, but that’s likely only if you are out overnight in the Scottish mountains.”

Snow has already blanketed northern regions, including in County Durham, and further ice and snow warnings have been issued for northern parts of Scotland.

The temperature will drop to around 2C in London in Thursday night, while the mercury will stay around freezing in Manchester.

Ahead of the cold snap, Public Health England has warned people to watch out for those most likely to be affected by the chilly weather, including the elderly.

Dr Thomas Waite, of PHE's Extreme Events team, said: “As the weather is going to get colder everywhere in the coming days, this is a really good time to check on those who may be at-risk.

“People with diseases such as heart and lung conditions, older people and young children can feel the ill-effects of cold weather more than the rest of us.”

Source: Independent