Fog and frost threaten to disrupt travel across London and the south

Dense fog and widespread frost are expected to cause travel chaos and delay flights as temperatures plunge below zero on Monday morning.

Drivers have been urged to prepare for hazardous conditions on roads and disruption at London airports. The Met Office has issued a yellow “be aware” warning for fog in London, the south-west, the south-east and some eastern parts between 1am and 10.30am.

Steven Keates, a weather forecaster, said: “In this area we are likely to see some dense, freezing fog patches developing, particularly through the early hours, which could impact some travel through the course of tomorrow’s rush hour.

“There will be difficult driving conditions and delays at some airports, including the London airports.”

Temperatures are expected to range between -4C (24.8F) and -6C in the early hours of the morning but rise to heights of 7C later in the day. The Met Office said temperatures plummeted to as low as -8C (17.6F) in sections of Hampshire and Essex yesterday morning.

Northern Ireland and some of Scotland and northern England will also start the week with a sharp frost. The foggy conditions are likely to continue into Tuesday but shift further east and north into the Midlands and east of England.

Keates said: “We ask everyone to be aware of the potential impact the fog will have on the roads. Take it steady, allow a bit of extra time for your journey. If you have got an early morning flight it might be worth double checking, just to make sure there are no delays at the airport.”

Heathrow airport tweeted: “Fog is expected to cause some disruption to flights at Heathrow tomorrow. Please check with your airline prior to travelling.”