Will La Nina bring "colder-than-normal" winter to Britain?

Britain faces a bitter, cold winter thanks to the La Niña weather phenomenon, meteorologists have warned.

SEE ALSO: UK set for 'snowiest winter in 27 years'

SEE ALSO: Worst winter since 2006 as temperatures fall to -11C

The phenomenon, which brings colder temperatures to the Pacific Ocean, could have an effect on the UK's temperatures as the last event did in 2010 when serious snows hit the country.

Met Office forecaster Graham Madge told the Evening Standard: "We are not anticipating it having a particularly deep effect, and more traditional weather [conditions] may supersede it.

"But a colder-than-normal winter is more likely than the reverse, with weather – like La Nina – on its way that favours that."

Speaking to the Independent, Mr Madge said: "The high pressure sat well to the west of the British Isles has been drawing in northerly air from much further north and that's solely responsible for bringing in the cold conditions," he said.

"That's exactly the sort of feature we would expect to see develop with La Niña conditions, whether that's set to influence the rest of December remains to be seen."