An ice yellow weather warning was issued for parts of the UK after snow fell at the Cheltenham Festival this morning.
The alerts are in place from 3am to 9am on Thursday, and temperatures may drop near freezing.
It covers the East Midlands, northeast and northwest of England, and parts of Yorkshire.
The 10 affected areas are Derbyshire, Darlington, Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.
Ice condition could lead to injuries and accidents on untreated roads and cycle paths, the Met Office warned when it issued an alert.
The forecaster stated:
“The clear spells between the two allow temperatures to approach zero, with some untreated surfaces frozen late tonight, first on Thursday, especially across the Pennine and Peak districts.”
Thousands of punters heading for Cheltenham's second day were faced with a chilly start following snowfall on Wednesday morning.
On the second day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, the horses Gavin Cromwell trained at the snowy gallop
The map shows the UK areas affected by the yellow weather warning on Thursday
Snow falls on Cleve Hill above the racetrack before the second day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival
Snow falls when horses and jockeys warm up at the gallop on the second day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival
White patches have also been reported in Scotland, northeastern England and parts of the Midlands.
A video shared on social media shows horses and riders fighting in winter conditions at Pressbury Park in Gloucestershire.
One user who posted on X: “When you think you saw it all, the snow has just arrived in Cheltenham. The bright blue sky is an hour ago, you can't see your back straight.”
Sharing a snow clip in Cheltenham on X, Met Office added:
“As we've seen here in Cheltenham, there's a temporary slight covering available to the grass and cars.”
The sudden drop in temperature comes just days after the UK recorded its warmest day ever over the weekend.
The British flocked to parks, beaches and pub gardens near 20c, found in parts of the UK.
The Met Office confirmed a record 19.7c hit at Crosby in Merseyside on Sunday, defeating the peak of 19.1c in Cumbria on Saturday.
Photo: Light snow dusting welcomed race fans in Cheltenham on Wednesday morning
Horse enters from a snowy gallop on the second day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival
Thousands of punters heading for “the biggest show on the grass” face cold days with temperatures peaking at just 9c
London and Cardiff were hotter than holiday hot spots such as the Balearic Islands, the Costa del Sol and Italy's Amalfi Coast over the weekend.
However, temperatures plummeted this week, and yesterday's cold conditions were the first to kick.
Met Office Meteorologist Honor Criswick said: “This week will feel like winter.
'On Wednesday, snow will fall when Scotland's northeastern part, namely Highlands and Highgrounds, falls into the lower layers.
“Sunlight peaking through the clouds can melt snow to lower levels.
“The temperatures are highs of 8-9°C, but they feel like freezing.
'Thursday also had a cold, cold start, with ice-like stretches everywhere it was raining so be careful if you're out early.
“There are plenty of showers on the coast of the North Sea, and snow falls mainly on the highlands.
Early morning snow will be seen on Wednesday at statues of Cheltenham's best companions
Weather map shows snow conditions at the Cheltenham Festival this morning
Light dust from snow covering the stands this morning at the Cheltenham Festival in Gloucestershire
Snow falls on trainer Gordon Elliott as he watches the horses at Gallop on the second day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival
“The rest is largely dry, but we can't rule out an inland shower. The temperature will look like a freeze.”
The winter situation in Cheltenham today comes after racers enjoyed a dramatic opening day at the festival.
The punters descended into the Cotswolds venue for an action-packed racing week.
The shock of that day on Tuesday took place in the 2025 Unibet Champion's hurdle, which lost its overwhelming favorite Constitutional Hill.
The 2023 champion fell to the fourth hurdle, opening the door for the outsider Golden Ace on 25/1 to win the title.
One punter was so sure of the Constitutional Hill that they placed a bet of £20,000 on the horse to win in a 1/2 conflict.
Horse enters from a snowy gallop on the second day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival
Willie Mullins is watching horses at the gallop on the second day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival
Gordon Elliott trained horses at Gallop on the second day of Cheltenham Racecourse at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival
A general view of the parade ring on the second day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival
Winter showers have been predicted throughout the morning at Pressbury Park in Gloucestershire – some areas already covered with light dusting in the snow
It was a big win for Bookie, with few takers looking for prize money after the race.
There were also many famous faces attending. Legendary former Manchester United manager Irl Alex Ferguson has joined former players Johnny Evans and John O'Shea.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also visited.
