Wintery weather will continue into the weekend after snowfall hit swathes of the UK, the Met Office has said.

       Temperatures plummeted on Tuesday night, hitting -7.5C in Warcop, Cumbria. The average low for the country is usually 4C at this time of year.

       People in parts of north and east England woke up to a dusting of snow, while the Met office said some parts of north-west Scotland could see 10cm, with higher ground seeing 15cm to 20cm.

       Parts of south-west England also received a new yellow warning for snow between 5am and 3pm on Thursday, with 5cm to 10cm predicted in higher parts of Dartmoor.

       A yellow warning for ice with a “few sleet or snow showers” has been issued from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning in most of Scotland, the East and West Midlands, the east, north-east and north-west of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Yorkshire.

       Heavy snow is also expected on Saturday followed by a “rapid thaw” and rain on Saturday night in north-east and north-west England, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and much of Scotland.

       Andrea Bishop, of the Met Office, said: “A deep area of low pressure is expected to bring a spell of prolonged and, at times, heavy rainfall across a large part of the UK this weekend.

       “Across south-west England, rain is expected to develop during Saturday morning with heavier rain likely later in the day and overnight into early Sunday morning.

       “Fifty to 75mm of rain is expected to fall fairly widely during this time with a chance that some places over Dartmoor could see 100mm-125mm. Strong southerly winds will accompany the heavy rain and may locally exacerbate impacts.”

       The Met Office said there is a chance floodwater could cause danger to life, some rural communities could become cut off, and there may be travel disruption.

       Morning commuters faced widespread travel disruption on Wednesday because of the freezing temperatures and heavy snow. More than 200 schools were forced to close on Tuesday as the country received its first taste of winter.

       The Met Office put a yellow warning for ice in place for much of southern England, the Midlands and eastern Wales from 5pm on Tuesday to 10am on Wednesday. New yellow warnings for rain have been published from Saturday to Sunday morning in south-west England and Wales.

       Several other warnings for snow and ice have been in force across the UK, with the Met Office advising that vehicles could be stranded, power cuts may occur and rural areas might be cut off.

       A Met Office spokesman said: “Rain, snow and ice continue to be potential hazards through this week as an Arctic air mass continues to influence the UK’s weather, bringing potential ongoing disruption for some.

       “A number of weather warnings for snow and ice are currently in place, and more are expected today.

       “It will be feeling very cold for most, with daytime temperatures in the low single figures, with a wind chill meaning it will be feeling even cooler. Despite the below average temperatures, there will be a good deal of sunshine away from the wintry showers near the coasts.”

       Neil Armstrong, the Met Office chief meteorologist, said: “With cold Arctic air firmly in place over the UK, continued winter hazards are likely through much of this week, with further updates to warnings likely in the coming days.”

       The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice along the east coast of Scotland and England from Berwickshire to Suffolk from 6pm on Tuesday to midday on Wednesday.

       A yellow warning for snow and ice has also been issued for Northern Ireland from 6pm on Tuesday to 10am on Wednesday, with a separate warning also in place across most of Wales and parts of the West Midlands until 10am on Wednesday.

       Police in Northern Ireland urged those on the roads to “drive with extra caution while we experience the freezing temperatures as forecast”.

       The RAC warned of a sharp rise in breakdowns because of battery failures in the cold weather.

       The organisation recommended adopting a “cautious driving style” in areas with risk of black ice and “be gentle on the accelerator, never be tempted step on the brake” as it could cause issues on slippery roads.

       The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued the first amber cold weather health alert of the season, warning that conditions could be dangerous for vulnerable people, including the elderly.

       The amber warning covers the east and north of England, the Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber, with yellow alerts coming into place for the South East, South West and London until 6pm on Saturday.

       The Alzheimer’s Society warned that cold weather can be “particularly challenging” for people with dementia.

       “Colder temperatures can be difficult for a person with dementia to adjust to, and they may not always be able to communicate that they are cold or they may not even recognise it themselves,” the charity said.

       Another charity, Asthma + Lung UK, urged those with lung conditions to be “extra careful”. It warned that cold weather can trigger potentially life-threatening asthma attacks or “flare-ups” for people with other lung conditions.