Snow joke, winter rolls into town...

LOOKS like it’s time to get the big coat out – winter is finally here.

Temperatures are set plunge across Greater Manchester this week, with widespread frosts and ‘brisk winds’ on the horizon.

The mercury could get as low as -4 degrees C with the odd ‘wintry shower’ bringing the slight chance of snow.

Elsewhere in the UK forecasters are expecting up to 10cm of snow to fall and there are fears of strong blizzards in some parts of the country.

Today (Monday) will be cold with ‘brisk winds’ and a few light showers. Temperatures will peak at 7 degrees C.

The outlook for Tuesday to Thursday in our region is mainly dry with much brighter skies than we’ve seen this weekend.

But it’s going to get much colder as the week goes on with widespread overnight frosts and isolated showers, these turning wintry by Thursday, when overnight temperatures are forecast to drop as low as -4 degrees C.

The Met Office 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 2-5cm are possible at lower levels, with 5-10cm above 200 metres, with some drifting and blizzard conditions in the strong northerly winds.”

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: “You can feel now it’s starting to get a bit colder, but it is just ordinary – I call that no man’s land, which we will be in for the next five to six days yet.

“In Scandinavia, north of Norway, pressure is starting to go low – and that low elongates and will move towards us carrying the cloud with it, but also low pressure bringing precipitation which is bound to be snow. Scotland will be the first to taste this.”

Jim warned that December 10-15 will bring the worst of the cold spell. He continued: “I think what’s happening is the low-pressure zone is coming south and through the North Sea. We will see where it goes – whether it will affect the Midlands and south – which at the moment it probably will.” It comes after the Met Office warned of a cold couple of weeks, with the weather forecaster saying: “Confidence remains low for this period. “More settled conditions are expected, with the potential for higher pressure over the UK, leading to drier weather.”

You can feel it’s starting to get a bit colder now Jim Dale, British Weather Services