Cold Arctic air is set to bring snow, ice and below-freezing temperatures to parts of the UK this week.

We’ve already seen freezing weather during the first two weeks of 2024, with cold weather alerts issued and snow falling across the UK.

And now the Met Office says temperatures this week will be 5-6°C colder than usual for this time of year – as the mercury could drop to -5°C.

‘Icy conditions’ are expected amid what forecasters are calling the ‘freeze of the century’, with a maximum temperature of 0°C in parts of Scotland, and only up to 2-4°C in southern parts of the UK.

A snow and ice warning is in place from 3am on Monday until 9am on Tuesday across Northern Ireland – as up to 20cm of snow could fall.

In Scotland a similar warning is in place in northern areas from midnight on Sunday until midnight on Monday. The warning area will then spread across the whole of Scotland and into northern England on Tuesday.

Leeds Castle in Kent received a dusting of snow earlier this month (Picture: Ben Stansall/AFP)

A snow warning will be in place from midnight on Wednesday until midnight on Thursday across northern Ireland, northern and western Scotland, parts of northern England and Wales.

Meteorologist Liam Eslick said: ‘So essentially we’re looking at a strong northerly wind which is bringing in Arctic airmass which is cold, which is bringing in these wintry showers across windward parts.

‘Especially towards the north where we do have these warnings we’re likely to see some some travel disruption.

‘So we would recommend people stick to the main roads and avoid country lanes where possible.