Arctic temperatures will ease briefly, but winds are expected to pick up

Arctic temperatures in the UK are briefly milder in recent days, but the Met Office has warned winds will pick up.

After a dry start to Sunday, forecasts indicated that rain would spread across most parts of the UK.

The Met Office issued a yellow overnight snow and ice warning for parts of northern England and Scotland on Saturday.

Earlier that day, many parts of the country were shaking through another freezing day, with cloud and rain spreading from the west.

Temperatures fell to as low as minus 15.7C in Altnaharra in northern Scotland on Saturday, while the highest temperature of 12C was recorded at St Marys Airport in the Isles of Scilly, south west of Cornwall.

The Met Office had put in place yellow alerts covering large parts of the country after Storm Larisa battered parts of the UK with storms and snowstorms.

Drivers were told not to get behind the wheel unless necessary, as heavy snowfall left some motorists stranded.

In north Wales, two hillwalking families had to be rescued after being caught out by bad weather on Saturday.

North East Wales Search and Rescue told the BBC calls were received at the same time to help two separated families who had walked on Moel Famau, which lies between Flintshire and Denbighshire.

The service sent teams in 4×4 vehicles up the hill in the Clwydian Range.

Emergency services said visibility had dropped to 100 m (328 ft) at the time of the calls.

In Annahilt, Northern Ireland, rare snow rolls have been spotted in a field in County Down by entomologist Adam Mantell.

The naturally occurring phenomenon is the result of strong winds blowing across a flat, snow-covered field or hill, the Royal Meteorological Society (RMETS) told the BBC.