UK weather: Arctic mass to bring snow and freezing temperatures next week

A giant Arctic mass is set to bring snow and freezing conditions to the UK next week.

Daytime temperatures across northern Britain could struggle to reach above freezing, while the mercury could drop to -10C at night time.

See also: 12 people rescued as bus stuck in flood water

See also: Manchester hotel gets 'beach' after floods

The effect of the Arctic front is already hitting Scotland and northern England, where the Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for rain, snow and ice.

For regular weather updates visit weather.aol.uk

The Met Office warning reads: "Further heavy and prolonged rain is expected on Thursday across parts of eastern Scotland, this lingering into Friday morning in the northeast. Given the earlier exceptionally wet weather please be aware of a renewed risk of both river and surface water flooding, and of disruption to transport.

"In addition, further snow is likely to affect higher routes, especially later on Thursday evening and into the early hours of Friday, when it may start to affect lower ground in places. Strong to gale force south-easterly winds could prove an additional hazard in southwest Scotland and Cumbria.

"A zone of rain and hill snow will affect Northern Ireland later on Thursday evening before moving into parts of Scotland and northern England during the early hours of Friday. Over ground above 200 to 300 metres snow is expected to accumulate, especially over Scotland where there is also a chance that snow could fall to lower levels for a time."

The cold weather and snow could spread to the south of England by next week.

Leon Brown, meteorologist at The Weather Channel, told Aol Travel: "It will be much colder over the north by Monday with sunshine, a few snow showers and night frost.

"There will be a threat though of rain and possibly some sleet and wet snow across the south.

"The rest of the week will be rather cold in Arctic winds with coastal hail, sleet and snow showers, and at times some snow showers moving inland.

"There'll be widespread night frosts which may be severe too. Temperatures may struggle to rise much above freezing all day across northern Britain from Tuesday to Thursday and drop to between -8 to -10C in places at night."