Met Office issues alert as temperature in UK set to plummet

You may want to wrap up warm and get your raincoat at the ready as the Met Office has just issued an alert in preparation for the temperature in the UK plummeting significantly.

Its new long-range forecast, which runs from January 19 to February 2, the Met Office warned Brits that weather conditions will suddenly become be much colder than recently.

It is now so cold that forecasters are even predicting a chance of snow.

The long-range forecast informs: "The risk of impacts from cold, including ice and snow is greater than normal.

"It is likely to be drier than recent weeks, but what does fall is more likely to be of a wintry nature."

It continues: "While there is a chance of brief, unsettled spells, which would bring milder air for a time, it would likely also be accompanied by a period of sleet or snow."

So - when will we start actually seeing snow on the streets?

Richard Baker / Contributor / Getty Images

Well, the Met Office outlines that it is not yet clear when exactly the cold spells would come, however it seems likely the temperatures will take a dive at the end of January or the start of February, according to its forecast dates.

"Overall the main theme will be much more in the way of settled conditions through this period," forecasters added.

A national outlook statement from the forecaster said: "Next week will begin mostly dry with variable amounts of cloud and some sunny spells. The sunniest weather is likely to be in the north and west.

"Elsewhere, probably mostly cloudy with a cold easterly breeze developing in the south. By the middle of next week, the wind should ease and, with high pressure in charge, there should be a good deal of dry weather.

"Cloud amounts will continue to be quite variable, but all areas should see some sunshine at times. Much colder than recently, with frost probably becoming quite widespread and some freezing fog patches are possible in places.

Leon Neal / Staff / Getty Images

"Beyond next week, conditions are likely to remain cold, with an increasing chance of some snow showers, developing particularly in the north."

The news comes after a whole load of rain which has resulted in flooding up and down the country with the Environment Agency announcing more than 1,000 homes have been flooded across England just this week alone.

It also comes shortly after the events of Storm Henk which caused total chaos across much of the southern half of England, with heavy rain causing flooding and travel disruption.

Tyla has reached out to the Met Office for further comment.