Rare ‘thundersnow’ warning issued as freezing weather sweeps UK

It's a rare phenomenon

This latest warning comes as the UK endures a cold snap with many areas of the nation experiencing heavy snow fall while others are subjected to sub-zero temperatures.

Currently, amber and yellow weather warnings are in place for snow in northeast England and will remain in place until late tonight. 

The Met Office has also warned that parts of the country could see up to 25cm of snow settle overnight with blizzard conditions possible.

Now, the same Met Office have also issued a warning for a rare phenomenon known as 'thundersnow' - put simply when a thunderstorm meets freezing, snowy conditions

The symptoms of thundersnow include brightened lightning strikes due to the reflection off the white snowflakes as well as dampened rumbles of thunder due to the flakes.

It also brings with it heavy downpours of snow.

The Met Office says that thundersnow has already hit parts of the North York Moors and the Highlands of Scotland today (20 November) and there could be more to come tonight off the coast of eastern Scotland and north-east England.

Yellow warnings remain in place across the east coast of England until Friday.

The lowest temperature last night came in Benson, Oxfordshire, hitting a bone-chilling -6.6C.