Britain set for cold weather with snow expected on Boxing Day

A cold snap is set to grip Britain, with forecasters warning of snow on Boxing Day followed by freezing temperatures in the lead-up to New Year.
The Met Office has issued a cold weather alert for parts of England, saying there is an 80% probability of conditions that could “increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services”.
Severe weather warnings are in place for snow from Boxing Day afternoon, threatening disruption on one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
The Met Office said there is some uncertainty about which regions will see snow, but where it does fall there could be accumulations of between 2cm and 4cm and in excess of 10cm in areas of higher ground.
Rain and sleet are also expected to fall across parts of Northern Ireland, England and Wales before clearing during the evening and overnight into Saturday.
Millions are expected to hit the roads to visit relatives or to take advantage of Boxing Day sales but they were warned to keep up to date with forecasts.
The Met Office said: “The public should be aware of the potential for disruption from snow. Please watch for updates to this warning. Especially if travelling.”
Conditions should become more settled as the weekend proceeds, but temperatures are likely to plunge below freezing overnight in much of the country next week.
The warning was at the yellow level, indicating a need for “alert and readiness”.
Krista Mitchell, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “This year as a whole has been very mild, so this could be the coldest spell that we’ve had.
“As we go towards Monday and Tuesday, we will see overnight temperatures really drop, with widespread frost and most places dropping below freezing.”