The BRITISH are bracing for SIX HOURS of snowfall that could wreak havoc on roads after temperatures drop to -12 ° C in what could be the coldest night of winter yet.

The Met Office has issued urgent weather warnings for snow and ice in parts of the country where the cold is freezing.

A new swath of snow and sleet is expected to spread across the UK, and tonight could be the coldest night of the year as temperatures drop to -12 ° C in some places.

Meteorologists have warned that mercury could drop to -12 ° C in Braemar, Aberdeenshire overnight, and stay well below zero in other parts of Scotland.

It will also be the Baltic elsewhere, with temperatures hovering around -6 ° C in Preston, -5 ° C in Stafford and -4 ° C in Oxford, according to weather maps.

Any temperature below -10 ° C will see it surpass the sub-zero temperatures recorded in November 2021, making it the coldest night of the season so far.

The difficult conditions will continue through Thursday, with three more warnings in effect for snow and ice.

These cover much of Scotland, the north of England and Northern Ireland with “frequent showers of sleet, hail and snow” and six inches of white matter is expected, which could cause chaos on the roads.

Meteorologist Richard Miles said: “It’s going to be colder than we are used to during the last days and Christmas. We are entering a period where temperatures will drop a bit. “

Another beating will hit on Friday, with warnings covering Scotland, the west of England and Northern Ireland until 11 a.m.

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Meteorologists warn: “Frequent sleet and snow showers can cause difficult driving conditions and interrupt travel on Friday mornings. “

Power outages are also possible, with the risk of “isolated” lightning strikes.

Meteorological Office meteorologist Claire Nasir said: “As we head into Wednesday night, with clearer skies and a lighter breeze, we will see that temperatures will drop very quickly, so expect widespread frost.

“Temperatures will drop to around -4 ° C in England and Wales and -10 ° C in the snowy fields of Scotland.

“Over time, a high pressure ridge will expand, so we will see pretty heavy frosts until Thursday morning before softer Atlantic air comes in with a band of clouds and rain.

“When the rain meets the colder air, it will turn to snow. It’s cooler from behind too, so gusts are likely through Friday. “

The cold snap has led bookmakers to reduce the odds that this month will be the coldest January on record to 6/4.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “Weather advisories are being issued to the left, right and center, and the odds suggest that that could lead to a record cold month ahead. “

Snow forecast: winter rains to hit Britain this week with yellow warnings and more white things to fall