Big Freeze returns! Britain plunges to minus 6.4C chills with frost, ice and fog as much of country still battles floods

• Britain awoke to freezing temperatures – as low as -6.4C (20.48F) in Scotland
• Today’s cold will be replaced by heavy showers in southern England on Sunday

Britain awoke to freezing conditions this morning, with temperatures in the Scottish Highlands plunging to -6.4C (20.48F).

The frost was felt across much of England too, with lows of 6.4.4C (24.08F) in Shropshire, while motorists were warned of icy roads.

Although temperatures are expected to rise a few degrees today, they will plummet again overnight with warnings of further frost on Sunday morning.

Tomorrow will also see a heavy band of showers dominating southern England – with 62 flood warnings in place. It follows closures of schools in Herefordshire and Worcestershire on Thursday after flooding.

Natural Resources Wales has issued a flood warning tomorrow for the River Ritec in Tenby, as well as 13 alerts across the country.

Meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said: ‘Across the south of England, rain will become a little more dominant as [Sunday] progresses… Anywhere south of the M4 corridor is likely to see some heavy rain throughout the day.’

Walkers make their way through a very frosty Richmond Park earlier this morning as temperatures plummeted to -1C over night in the capital

Cyclists make their way through a very frosty Richmond Park

Wet surfaces overnight turned to frost, with warnings of black ice across much of England and Scotland

Climes as low as -6.4C (20.48F) were experienced in the Scottish Highlands this morning

With a frost start, temperatures may reach highs of 6C or 7C in parts of England today

Dozens of flood warnings are in place across southern England tomorrow with a band of rain expected below the M4 corridor

Today is expected to be cloudy with a chill across much of the country, while showers will dominate southern England on Sunday. The beginning of next week will see a return to sunnier climes

READ MORE: RIVERS BURST BANKS AS BRITAIN IS BATTERED BY HEAVY RAINFALL

Motorists are also braced for chaos this weekend as the M25 Dartford Crossing is set to close for seven hours, with fears of immense traffic queues.

The QEII Bridge shut from 10pm and 5am on Saturday, and will close again from 10pm to 6am on Sunday.

National Highways said: ‘We’re carrying out an extensive programme of repairs and maintenance work over the next several years to keep journeys safe and reliable for road users.

‘To keep disruption to a minimum, we carry out our work overnight, typically between the hours of 10pm and 6am.’

Travellers wishing to cross the bridge can instead use a diversion clockwise of the M25, although only cars between 4.8 and five metres will be allowed through.

Meteorologist Ms Shuttleworth said: ‘There will be a cold and frosty start to Saturday with some mist and fog. Plenty of sunny spells around, though the odd shower possible.

‘Temperatures will be around average for late February. Feeling pleasant in light winds and sunny spells.

‘For many areas, this weekend will be quite a dry and bright one but across the south there is some heavier rain due on Sunday.

‘On Saturday morning it will be feeling quite chilly particularly across the northeast and areas of Scotland. There are a scattering of showers though across western coastal areas as well as across the southeast coast… there could be some mist and fog.

Flooding was reported across much of the Midlands on Friday, with fears heavy rains on Sunday will lead to further outbreaks

Countryside around Dunsden, Oxfordshire, was shrouded in a vale of fog and mist this morning

The countryside shrouded in freezing fog at daybreak in  Dunsden, Oxfordshire

‘There is still some early sunshine and that will last until lunchtime for many areas, particularly across the north and east. But as we head towards lunchtime, cloud will start to bubble up as the temperatures slowly start to pick up and some showers as well.

‘Showers could be anywhere in the UK [on Saturday] but these will be short-lived.

‘With clear skies, temperatures will fall away tonight. So it’s going to be another cold evening and a cold start to the day on Sunday. Quite a harsh frost developing, potentially some mist and freezing fog in fact.

‘We do have a band of rain arriving in the south west in the early hours of the morning. Away from that band of rain it will be feeling quite chilly out there. Another risk of some icy stretches as well is we have got any wet surfaces on Sunday morning.’

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