UK cold weather forecast: Temperatures plunge to freezing as Met Office issues warnings

Cold weather will continue throughout the country for much of the day, with temperatures staying in single digits.

Temperatures are expected to tick up later this week but the Met Office is also warning extremely heavy rain could cause disruption.

WATCH NOW: The UK's weather forecast

The UK’s national weather service said: “There is a chance of extremely heavy rain from Thursday to Saturday causing flooding and disruption across central and eastern Scotland.”

The yellow rain warning, which is in place from 6am on Thursday to 11.59pm on Saturday, also brings with it a small chance of communities being completely cut off, danger to life and disruption to essential services.

“Whilst there is still significant uncertainty in the timing and duration of rain through the second half of the coming week, there is potential for disruptive, heavy and prolonged rainfall to affect central and eastern Scotland,” the Met Office added.

“The heaviest rainfall is more likely to occur over Angus and southeast Grampian, although even lower lying areas could see unusually heavy rainfall during this period.

• Thousands of warm banks opening again this winter as Brits struggle to heat their homes
• UK weather: Temperatures to plummet to -5C as 'arctic blast' sweeps Britain
• UK hot weather: Britain set for post 'cold snap' surge after -4C weekend

“Strong southeasterly winds are likely to accompany heavy rainfall which may exacerbate impacts.”

Residents in Central, Tayside & Fife, Grampian and Highlands & Eilean Siar have all been identified as being potentially affected by the yellow warning.

Flood warnings are already in place across England and Wales ahead of the warning.

A total of 25 alerts have been issued by England’s Environment Agency.

Natural Resources Wales put out an additional flood alert and one flood warning.

The weather is expected to remain mixed for much of autumn, with the Met Office suggesting an east-west split with rainfall.

The UK’s national weather service explained the end of the month “will likely be characterised by the UK being stuck in a battleground between low pressure to the west or southwest, and high pressure over Scandinavia.

“Therefore the more likely outcome is for western areas to be wettest and eastern areas to see less rainfall, but with the boundary of that discrimination not clear cut.

“Temperatures are likely to remain above average, given the predominantly southerly flow, although colder spells remain possible, especially if the high to the east becomes the more dominant player.”

Despite a cold start to the week, the UK is also poised for a warmer weekend.

Temperatures could teeter towards 20C by Thursday in October’s second spell of warm weather.