Weather map reveals where temperatures are set to reach 12C

Following a week of harsh sub-freezing temperatures - including the lowest January temperature in 15 years - Britain is slowly emerging from its icy grip.

Warmer conditions set in on Sunday, with even the coldest regions, previously under thick layers of snow and ice, experiencing some relief.

Forecasts show temperatures reaching as high as 12 degrees Celsius in certain northern regions of the UK on Monday and Tuesday.

Don't pack away your winter coats yet, as temperatures will still remain in single digits in many areas, and frosts could return by the end of the week.

On Friday night into Saturday morning, lows of -18.9 degrees Celsius (-2.02 degrees Fahrenheit) were recorded at Altnaharra, in the Scottish Highlands, marking the coldest night of the winter and the lowest UK temperature recorded in January since 2010. Meanwhile, the mercury plunged to -11.2 degrees Celsius (11.84 degrees Fahrenheit) in Shap, Cumbria.

The Arctic weather conditions receded as daytime temperatures rose above freezing today, even in the highest areas of the Peak District and Pennines.

Foggy conditions will persist in southern England tonight, but warmer air is expected to move in, bringing cloudy skies and occasional rain showers.

A Meteorological Office spokesperson stated that Monday can be expected to be "windy in the north, with periods of rain moving southwards across Scotland into northern England", and "drier in the south but cloudy".

Milder temperatures will cause "continued rapid melting of lying snow", meaning river levels will continue to rise.

There is currently a low risk of flooding with only two flood warnings in place on Sunday afternoon, indicating flooding is anticipated along small sections of the River Trent at Girton in Nottinghamshire and the Upper River Hull in East Yorkshire.

There were 31 lower-level flood alerts in the Midlands and South, advising people to take caution as flooding is 'possible'.

The forecast for the coming days is expected to be cloudy in the southern areas, with possible fog patches and occasional rainfall showers. It is forecasted to be breezier in the northern regions, with extended periods of rain developing from the Atlantic.

A north-south thermal divide is expected for today, with forecasts predicting temperatures ranging from 9C to 12C in the north, but only 5-8C in the central and southern regions.

Tomorrow, the weather will be somewhat comparable, but with a slight possibility of fewer clouds, and the daytime temperature will range from 52-54F in the northern areas and 46-48F in the southern areas.

By the weekend, however, more settled weather is expected to spread northward from the continent, bringing the possibility of sunny days and cool evenings with nighttime temperatures likely to drop below freezing in some rural areas.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has extended its cold weather health alert for the whole of England until Tuesday, despite the improved forecast.

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