Wintry showers set to return to the UK as December freeze continues

Some parts of the country will struggle to get above freezing on Wednesday and Thursday

The cold weather is likely to break on Friday, leading to a warmer but wetter weekend (PA)

Wintry showers could return to the UK later this week, forecasters say.

Some parts of the country will struggle to get above freezing on Wednesday and Thursday, with snow and freezing rain possible on high ground, according to Meteogroup, the weather division of the Press Association.

But the cold weather is likely to break on Friday, leading to a warmer but wetter weekend.

Sally Webb, a forecaster at Meteogroup, said today and tomorrow will be mainly clear and dry, with some showers on the North Sea coast.

But Wednesday will bring more cloud in southern England and Wales and the chance of wintry showers over high ground in Scotland and northern England in the afternoon after a clear start.

"Things start to change on Thursday, the cloud will thicken up before moving south and there are some light showers moving on ahead of a band of rain," she said.

"Some of those could be wintry or freezing rain."

Daytime temperatures in northern England and Scotland could struggle to top 2C (36F) on Wednesday and Thursday, she added, with some isolated spots failing to get above -1C (30F).

But by Friday temperatures will have risen, with averages of 10C (50F) in the south and 6C (43F) in the north. Most areas will see rain, though it could fall as sleet or snow on high ground like the Welsh Mountains and the Yorkshire Dales.

The wet weather is set to continue into next weekend, with showers especially along the west coast.

PA