The UK is braced for heavy snow this weekend as London feels the chill

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for some parts of the UK this weekend, indicating heavy snowfall and freezing rain as the country gets ready for Christmas.

For some a white Christmas could be coming early, as a low pressure weather system from the Atlantic is set to blast cold wind and snow across the Scottish Highlands and northern England.

It is thought between 10cm and 20cm of snow could fall this weekend, with added uncertainty over whether the wintry chill could spread further south.

Met forecasters have said blizzards could develop in high areas, while snow may turn into freezing rain causing widespread ice to develop on roads overnight.

Bookies at Coral have predicted odds-on at 1-2 that snow will fall in a major UK city before the end of this week, while it's odds of 4-6 that we'll have a white Christmas this year.

“With temperatures dropping fast, we could be set for early snowfall and that is reflected in the betting as the white stuff if odds-on to come down in any major UK city by the end of this week,” said Coral’s John Hill.

“We continue to see buckets of money for a white Christmas this year, while we could also be set for the frightening prospect of the coldest winter on record in the UK,” added Hill.

London is set to experience below freezing temperatures as the week comes to a close, with temperatures tonight expected to drop as low as minus five degrees celsius.

Tomorrow the City will be hit with a frosty start, but will generally be dry with bright or sunny intervals. Rain will begin to spread across the capital on Saturday afternoon, clearing to sunny spells on Sunday.