After a snow-free Christmas and a mild start to the year, Britain is bracing itself to be battered by a bitter Arctic blast, with experts warning the cold snap could last as long as a month.
The UK has so far dodged the arctic weather, which has been battering Europe with 10 feet of snow falling causing chaos and leaving 21 people dead.
Read more: Warning of travel chaos for millions as six inches of snow predicted
While today and tomorrow are set to remain mild for the time of year with temperatures around 9C, icy winds are set to blow across the UK from Wednesday.
Temperatures are predicted to plummet as low as -17C, according to The Weather Company.
Snow and sleet is predicted to hit Scotland and the north of England from Wednesday to Friday with bitter 50mph gales sweeping along the south.
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Snow could then hit “almost anywhere” as the cold weather blasts in from north of Iceland wreaking havoc to transport all over the UK as the cold snap takes hold.
Met Office forecaster Bonnie Diamond told The Sun: “It will feel notably different from the first half of January as we switch to a longer spell of cold weather from Wednesday.”
Here’s a look at Monday morning’s rush hour 👉
❗️ Watch out for icy patches (and even some snow!) in the far northeast ❗️ pic.twitter.com/p7QcRmfiCW
— Met Office (@metoffice) 13 January 2019
The weekend may bring a brief return to milder conditions before the freezing Arctic blast returns next week.
The extreme weather comes shortly after continental Europe was hit by a big freeze billed as a “once in 30 years” occurrence.
Read more: Britain warned to brace itself for ‘Siberian snowbomb’
The long-range forecast from the Met Office also warns that the end of January and early February have “an increased likelihood of cold weather being established across all of the UK, with temperatures continuing a downward trend to become cold or very cold”.
The Met Office added: “This would bring a greater risk of snow, ice and widespread frost, particularly across northern parts of the country.”
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