Are we set for a six-hour blizzard?

PA

Northern Britain is braced for a six-hour blizzard tonight, as temperatures in Scotland drop to -8C.

The Daily Star reports that up to an inch of snow fell in the North and Scotland yesterday and the coldest temperature of winter so far, -7C, was recorded in Shap, Cumbria.

Snow is now expected in Norfolk and the East. The Met Office has issued a low-level warning of severe weather for most of the UK, and the Department of Health advised that the elderly, ill and vulnerable should stay indoors.

A Met Office spokesman told the Daily Star: "An Atlantic frontal system will meet very cold air over the UK, with rain expected to turn to snow across parts of Scotland and northern England, with snow lasting three to six hours."

Sky News reports that the cold and frosty start to December has prompted record numbers of people to place bets on a white Christmas. According to Ladbrokes, more money had been staked on a white Christmas by Saturday than by any other December 1 in history.

According to the Daily Mail, rain is expected to move in from the south west tonight, which could cause further flooding.

Leon Brown, meteorologist at The Weather Channel, told AOL Travel: "On Monday, temperatures will briefly come back up to normal in the south. But it will soon turn colder again from the north, with a bitter N-NW wind on Tuesday and Wednesday. Night frosts will return and there will be some hail, sleet ad show showers again, especially near eastern coasts and over the north. Later in the week there is a risk of sleet and snow spreading southwards, followed by a frosty weekend."

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