Frost, snow and hail expected as winter starts and England’s lockdown ends

Frost, hail and snow will greet those who are able to venture to shops and cafes again after a month of lockdown in England.

The start of winter is set to bring severe conditions across the UK, with weather warnings issued in some areas.

Tuesday was the first official day of meteorological winter, and with it came a drop in temperatures and forecasts of snow and icy conditions in some places.

The Met Office issued yellow weather warnings for snow and ice in Scotland for Wednesday and Thursday as it is set to get "a taste of winter," according to Met Office meteorologists.

Temperatures are set to reach 6-8C (43-46F) on Wednesday and it will feel much colder at 4-8C (39-46F) a day later thanks to some stronger winds in most places.

The Met Office reports that a band of cloud and rain is set to move south-east on Wednesday and that it will be colder with sunny intervals, heavy showers and strong winds in the north of England.

Colder, unsettled conditions are expected to spread to the entire UK on Thursday with frequent showers, areas of heavy rain and some hill snow, the Met Office said.

There is also the chance of some snow to lower levels later in the week although away from hills it is currently uncertain exactly where snow will fall.

Frosts may form in the clear periods between bands of wintry showers and these could be sharp or even severe in prolonged clear conditions in north-western parts of the UK.

In London, cloud and light rain are forecast throughout the week while in Cardiff, heavy rain on Thursday is expected to give way to sunny spells over the weekend.

Belfast will see cloud and light rain throughout the week reaching highs of 8C (46F) on Saturday.

Across the UK, temperatures reached 7-9C (45-49F) on Tuesday making it a "crisp, clear, chilly winter's day" for most on December 1, the Met Office said.