As high pressure becomes anchored to the west of the UK, cold arctic air will move south across the country from the north, bringing cold conditions to most by the weekend.  We can expect to see overnight frosts and ice in places, with even snow over the hills in the north.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Laura Paterson, said: “It will feel very cold this weekend, with strong winds bringing heavy showers to many parts.  Northern facing coastal areas will see the most frequent showers, whilst elsewhere will see more in the way of sunshine. These showers could contain hail, and turn to snow on the high ground, mainly Scotland, Northern Ireland and perhaps northern England.”

It looks like Saturday will be the coldest day, with temperatures recovering slightly for Sunday and showers becoming more confined to eastern areas.

Stein Connelly from Transport Scotland said:

"Snow, sleet and ice look set to move into parts of Scotland at the end of this week, particularly over higher routes. Our operating companies have already started their winter services and will closely monitor the trunk road network, providing appropriate treatments where necessary.

“As always, we encourage motorists to plan their journeys ahead of time, follow police travel advice and drive to the conditions. Drivers can‎ use the Traffic Scotland mobile website - my.trafficscotland.org - to get the latest information on the trunk road network, as well as check the @trafficscotland twitter page for updates."

As we go into next week, it looks like it will be less cold for much of the country but looking more unsettled by the middle of the week.

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