Frozen fountain on the St Cross Business Park, Newport. Picture by Robin Crossley.
ARCTIC winds were behind a cold snap that led to air temperatures on the Island dropping as low as minus 9.7C overnight.
Meteorologist David Carrington, of Island weather website Wroxall Weather, said most forecasters had underestimated the severity of the drop.
The Isle of Wight Council had warned drivers air temperatures were likely to fall to minus 3C, but on Tuesday night they reached almost minus 10C in Wroxall, the coldest place on the Island that night.
“We are in the wake of Arctic winds that have come down the country, originally starting over Scandinavia," Mr Carrington said.
“We can expect warmer daytime temperatures at the weekend, but it will still be cold at night, although nothing like we had on Tuesday night. No-one predicted how bad it was going to be.”
• Plummeting temperatures over the past week have seen homeless charity People Off the Streets busier than ever.
POTS has been handing out sleeping bags and hot meals to the Isle of Wight’s homeless, with some of the most vulnerable people forced to sleep in cars during Christmas and New Year.
POTS worker Ettie McKinley told the County Press the charity was helping around the same number of people as last year.
One man was treated by paramedics after he fell ill on Boxing Day and another died over the holiday break.
Ms McKinley said: “We are handing out warm clothing and taking out meals to people who are sleeping in cars. We are very worried about people at present.”
• Full report in the Friday, January 9, County Press.
Reporter: ross.findon@iwcp.co.uk