Met Office snow/ice warning: Yellow alert issued for Northern England as Cheltenham sees sudden snowfall after 18C warm spell

The Met Office said Yorkshire and Northumberland are expected to experience icy conditions between 3am and 9am on Thursday. Forecasters have also warned that wintry showers could lead to ice developing on roads, pavements, and cycle paths, increasing the risk of accidents and travel disruptions.

The snowfall in Cheltenham came days after most parts of the country experienced warm and sunny weather with temperatures reaching 18C on Sunday, hotter than Barcelona and the Costa del Sol over the weekend.

The Met Office has warned that temperatures could drop below freezing by the weekend as the UK enters the final days of what is often called “fool’s spring”- a period of warm weather followed by a sudden cold snap, which frequently occurs in March or April.

Oli Claydon, a spokesman for the Met Office, explained:“Some showers came through with lower overnight temperatures last night, meaning it comes through as snow. We’re expecting to see the same sort of regime over the next few days with showers continuing in the North East and Scotland.”

Claydon also said a weather front moving through on Friday could bring widespread snowfall across Scotland and possibly wintry showers in the highest parts of Ireland.

Cheltenham was not the only place to see snow on Wednesday morning. Birmingham city centre also experienced snowfall, and the Met Office forecasts suggest that Cumbria and Yorkshire could see light snow and hail before midday.