UK weather: Snow to blast parts of Britain - but will your area be hit?

Britain has been hit by an icy blast of cold weather today that could see parts of the country buried underneath four inches of snow .

Met Office forecasters say the picture is expected to vary across the country, with northern parts of the UK and Ireland expected to bear the brunt of the freezing conditions.

The extreme weather is expected to bring treacherous conditions on roads and may cause travel woe for commuters.

A yellow warning for ice has been put in place across Northern Ireland and Scotland for Monday morning until 11am.

The Met Office warning reads: "A spell of rain and hill snow is likely to affect many areas, with skies clearing at times to allow icy surfaces, although these won't affect all places.

"The snow is most likely above 200 metres elevation and probably focused in the north Pennines and into parts of Scotland; here it could affect a few lower lying areas.

Here's how the picture looks for the UK:

A car is abandoned in the snow near Fleet Moss in Yorkshire (PA)

A view of snow covered fields from the A689 near Kilhope, County Durham (PA)

Scotland

Scotland saw temperatures drop to as low as -4°C in some areas this morning and 10cm of snow is scheduled to fall in parts of the Highlands in the north-west.

Sleet and snow across far west and south will gradually extend northwards later in day and a maximum temperature of 3°C is expected.

Early ice patches in central areas.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland will see the worst of the cold snap as temperatures struggle to stay above zero with some hill snow expected to fall.

Early ice patches will form with patchy rain or showers with some snow - but generally away from the very lowest levels.

Cloudy, showery rain and hill snow dominating the evening with a minimum temperature 0 °C overnight.

Balmoral was covered in snow overnight (Twitter)

Sheep in snow near Deepdale in the Yorkshire Dales (PA)

England

Northeast

Rather cold with some rain to start, with a risk of icy patches for a time.

Mainly dry with clear spells overnight. Winds should ease, which is likely to lead to frost and perhaps some patches of freezing fog. Minimum temperature -2°C overnight

A gritter ploughs snow in northern England (PA)

A view of the snow covered Kilhope slate mine (PA)

Yorkshire and Humber

Staying rather cold, throughout the day but soon becoming drier, bright and breezy, with sunny spells developing widely through the afternoon.

Dry with clear spells overnight. This is likely to lead to frost and perhaps some patches of freezing fog developing as we heas towards dawn.

Southeast

Southeast England is likely to avoid snow completely but could see rain showers in coastal areas but there will also be frost and some freezing fog.

Less windy than of late with a maximum temperature of 10 °C during the day.

At night, damp conditions with a slight frost possible. Minimum temperature 1 °C.

Temperatures are expected to be cold in northern areas (WXCharts)

(WX CHARTS)

Southwest

There will be a few showers around in the morning, chiefly around the coast with plenty of sunny spells. The day will feel mild with a maximum temperature of 9 °C.

Cloud will increase overnight, with the chance of patchy rain developing in the southeast.

North-west

Showery today, with the weather more wintry over the hills. There will be icy patches and freezing fog tonight.

Showers will continue tomorrow with the frost and fog clearing on Wednesday.

Wales

There will be a scattering of showers during the morning, but these will become confined to the southwest later. Otherwise dry with plenty of sunny spells.

By morning conditions could turn frosty with local freezing fog forming as temperatures drop to 0 °C.

Met Office five-day weather forecast

Today:

Showers for parts of Scotland with some hill snow, mainly over the west and north Highlands. Showers continuing for western and southern coastal areas, merging into a larger area of rain in the southeast during the afternoon. Becoming less windy.

Tonight:

Rain, with hill snow, for Scotland, perhaps affecting Northern Ireland and northern England for a time. Persistent rain in the southeast. Between these cold with frost and some freezing fog.

Tuesday:

Rain in southeast gradually clearing with fog over central parts gradually lifting. Showers further north dying out away from the coasts, though more persistent rain for the Northern Isles. Cold.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Freezing fog and low cloud lifting, becoming milder as strong winds and rain spread northeast on Wednesday, followed by blustery showers Thursday. Further rain and gales spread north on Friday.