Met Office predicts when the UK can expect first snow of the season

Things are about to cool down as forecasters predict the end of a rather brief Indian Summer

Britons are bracing themselves for temperatures to plummet as snow could fall for the first time this year.

Temperatures are set to fall to -4C overnight in rural areas of Northern Ireland and the Northern half of the UK can expect to feel a chill as cool air arrives from the North West.

Snow is expected to fall over the Scottish highlands on Saturday, the Met Office has said.

Britons can expect a sunny but chilly Sunday (The Met Office )

Elsewhere in the UK, southern parts of England and Wales are expected to feel a chill as there is a marked drop in temperatures to single digits.

From Wednesday, forecasters predict overnight freezing fog in the north and isolated showers and colder spells across the north east however, temperatures are expected to be higher than usual for the time of year later into work.

The chill comes as the UK had an unusually warm start to the season with the hottest October day in five years recorded in Kew Gardens as temperatures reached 25.8C.

Stephen Dixon, a spokesperson for the Met Office said: “Things are set to get cooler this weekend after an unseasonably warm start to autumn.

“During the day time temperatures could drop to  single figures through the weekend in the north, but temperatures will be a bit higher in the south, with highs of up to 13C.”

Things are set to become more autumnal over the coming days and early next week as Monday will be chilly, with highs of 13C in the south of England and lows of minus three degrees in rural northern Ireland.

On Tuesday there will be highs of 15C in the south of England and lows of -2C in rural Northern Scotland.

‘Markedly cooler’ weather is forecast for this weekend was autumn arrives (PA Archive)

MET OFFICE OUTLOOK

Saturday

Showers will become increasingly confirmed to the north and west overnight. Showers falling as snow over the Scottish hills. Dry elsewhere, with clear spells. Chilly, with a rural frost developing in places, particularly in the north.

Sunday:

There will be plenty of autumnal sunshine with showers largely focused across Scotland. Temperatures below average for the time of year. Generally light winds.

Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:

Chilly on Monday, with sunny spells once any morning fog clears. Staying sunny on Tuesday and temperatures just a little higher. Largely settled on Wednesday, though windy for southern England.