Britain will endure 'unseasonably cold' conditions over the next few days as temperatures fall below zero and the first frosts of autumn develop.
Chilly Arctic air is sweeping in and bringing highs of up to 7C below average for the time of year - with fresh snow seen on the highest peaks in Scotland this morning.
The Met Office said tomorrow night into Friday is likely to be the coldest part of this week,as temperatures in rural parts of the country could drop below freezing.
Many areas will have daytime highs of 13C (55F) to 14C (57F),well below the normal range of 16C (61F) to 18C (64F) for mid-September or up to 20C (68F) in London.
However,the cold spell is not expected to last long and temperatures will begin to climb back up towards average by the weekend with 20C (68F) highs and sunshine.
The sun rises on a chilly morning at Dunsden in the Oxfordshire countryside today
Mr Vautrey continued: 'We could see some patchy frost developing in rural areas across all nations of the UK,particularly Scotland.
'For people waking up on Friday morning it could be quite a shock to the system as they're walking out of the door.
'There is a small chance of some snow falling over the highest mountains of Scotland,but you'll have to hike quite a way before you see any snow.'
Looking further ahead,the Met Office said milder air from the Atlantic is expected to push back across the country later on Friday and more especially into the weekend.
This will cut off the cold air from the north and allow less chilly conditions into next week when temperatures will return to average for the time of year.
In the Met Office's forecast for September 16 to 25,it says: 'Temperatures during this period are likely to be on the warmer side of average overall,but with settled conditions warm days could be offset by some chilly nights.'
© OfficialAffairs
