It has been a chilly start to December in Greater Manchester - and it's only looking to get colder. Experts are warning temperatures will plunge this week, with 'increasingly cold' mornings and snow set to hit parts of the UK.
If you think this morning is cold, make sure you get prepared for what is on the horizon - today's 6°C is positively balmy compared to the lows of -4°C we can expect across the region in coming days. So crack the big coat and hot water bottle out, winter is firmly here.
Today (Monday) is set to be significantly warmer than the rest of the week, with highs of 7°C and lows of 5°C. Forecasters at the Met Office warn of a cold north-easterly breeze throughout the day, with some brightness by the afternoon. A clear night will make it colder than we have been used to so far this year, with minimum temperatures of 0°C.
READ MORE: Greater Manchester weather forecast as temperatures set to plunge amid Met Office UK snow warning
Heading into Tuesday, we're set to start the day with temperatures around 3°C, which could climb to highs of 7°C in the afternoon. Experts are predicting a 'frosty, sunny start', with sun remaining for much of the day. Some rain could set in later in the afternoon, and it's likely to be another chilly night, with temperatures sticking at around 1°C.
Wednesday is where it really starts to get nippy. The day is set to start off cloudy, but clear up as we head into the afternoon. Temperatures are likely to be around 0°C when you're waking up, and forecasters say they may only climb to around 3°C - significantly colder than the last few days. Wednesday night will see drops even further, with lows of -3°C. Brrr.
We're set to wake up to cloudy skies on Thursday, and a chilly morning, with temperatures starting at -2°C. By late morning, experts say we can expect some sunny intervals, but the temperature remains cold, with highs of just 1°C. And by 6pm we're set to be back below freezing, with the mercury dropping to -5°C overnight. Time to get out that electric blanket...
Friday morning is set to be misty, cloudy, and chilly, with temperatures lingering at around -4°C by 9am. Experts say it will remain cloudy throughout the day, although we will get above freezing - just! Friday has highs of 1°C - but by 6pm we can expect to be back at around -2°C.
The Met Office says the outlook from Wednesday to Friday for Greater Manchester is: "Staying mainly dry with the theme of clearer skies and sunny spells continuing.
"Isolated showers are likely, these turning wintry by Thursday. Turning increasingly cold with widespread overnight frosts."
So we might not get any snow this time, but it will be very cold.
UK to be hit by snow
It comes as the Met Office has warned of snow hitting parts of the UK this week. The service has issued a yellow weather warning for Wednesday covering parts of Scotland. Experts predict between 2cm and 5cm of snow to settle in lower areas, rising to 10cm at higher levels.
The Met Office said: "Showers will fall as snow to low levels on Wednesday. Accumulations of 2-5 cm are possible at lower levels, with 5-10 cm above 200 metres, with some drifting and blizzard conditions in the strong northerly winds."
The weather warning covers Central, Tayside & Fife, Grampian, Highlands & Eilean Siar and Orkney & Shetland. Scotland is likely to face the first snowfall of the season over the next couple of days, thanks to a wintry storm named the 'Troll of Trondheim'.
Forecasters have said it's down to a spell of low pressure originating from Norway which will hit the UK, resulting in plunging temperatures and snow.
Jim Dale, of the British Weather Services, said that December 10-15 will bring the 'worst' of the cold spell.
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