West Yorkshire weather: Severe frosts and strong winds expected across Wakefield, Pontefract and Dewsbury

The cold Arctic air in place over the region will start to be displaced from the north and west today (Friday), allowing weather conditions to take on an Atlantic influence again with milder air eventually returning.

However, while temperatures will increase from the markedly low figures of recent days, this change in airmass will also introduce a return to much windier weather for Sunday and Monday as well as bring spells of rain, especially in the west.

Both Wakefield and Dewsbury will see highs of 6C despite “strong winds, bands of heavy rain and cloudy conditions” that will dominate the weekend.

The Met Office’s Deputy Chief Meteorologist, David Hayter, explained: “Conditions will stay cold on Friday but a change in weather type is on the way, bringing milder air for the UK during the course of the weekend.

“This change will initially be relatively benign in terms of weather impacts, with a dry Friday and start to Saturday for many in the south of the UK.

"The Atlantic influence will then introduce some wet and windy weather, with a deep area of low pressure approaching from the west on Sunday.

“While detail is still being worked out, we expect windy weather for many and some heavy rain in the west and so we’ve issued warnings for Sunday for wind and rain.

"Watch out for updates to these warnings on Friday and Saturday as the forecast develops.”