UK weather forecast: Snow hits parts of Britain as Met Office warns of early winter blast

Forecasters monitoring situation as icy conditions and freezing fog expected in coming days

Britain is braced for a barrage of wintry weather, with snowfall predicted in several regions and the potential for more icy conditions as the week wears on.

Snow fell in Cumbria, Derbyshire and East Sussex on Tuesday and overnight, with easterly winds causing particularly chilly conditions for many.

More unpleasant, late-autumn conditions are expected over the next few days. Showers will be seen across all regions on Wednesday, with the heaviest downpours in eastern Scotland.

Snow could fall on the highest areas of England, Scotland and Wales, while those living closer to sea level are more likely to see sleet – rain and snow mixed.

“We could see some showers turn wintry, with a little bit of sleet and even some snow over the Highlands , the Pennines and possibly Snowdonia,” Met Office forecaster Luke Miall told The Independent.

“However, our monitors suggest this is mostly settling on the grass, it is not looking like anything that impactful at the moment, which is a good thing.”

High temperatures of around 6 to 7C are expected across the UK throughout the day – slightly lower than averages for the time of year.

Rain is likely to become confined to southwest England by Wednesday evening, before frost and ice will begin to develop for many overnight.

Parts of the Midlands could wake up to a belt of freezing fog on Thursday, which would leave a coating of ice on surfaces, while large parts of the country will see low cloud cover.

The Met Office has yet to issue a weather warning over the foggy conditions, but said it was closely monitoring the situation.

Temperatures are likely to remain below averages for late-autumn through Friday and into the weekend, with eastern areas experiencing showers and southwest England seeing persistent rain.

Conditions may improve on Sunday, when much of the UK will see dry and calm weather.