A cold snap heading for Britain could cause travel chaos this weekend, as temperatures could drop as low as -7°C.
The bad weather, triggered by snowstorms in the US, could also bring freezing, heavy rain and strong winds.
There's a good chance that these adverse conditions could wreak havoc on travel plans, so if you're travelling this weekend or next week, we advise:
- Checking with your airline that your flight isn't delayed before you leave your house
- Even if your journey's short, make sure you have plenty of bottled water and snacks in the car, and make sure you've got jumpers/rugs/pillows, in case you get stuck in traffic. You'll probably want to turn the engine off, and will get cold without the heater on
- Take plenty of books and make sure your mobile's fully charged for the airport, in case there are delays and you need entertaining
- Make sure your travel insurance covers delays and cancellations due to bad weather conditions
Temperatures began to drop last night, with parts of Scotland reaching -2°C. Southern England has managed to escape the cold snap for now, but by Sunday night, most of the UK will be expecting below zero temperatures.
Downpours are also predicted for the weekend, with the heaviest rain predicted in Wales, and thundery weather is expected in the South West. Forecasters predict the wet and miserable weather will last all weekend.
The cold snap is due to last all of next week - so don't expect to put your umbrella and wellies away anytime soon. The coldest parts of the UK are predicted to be Wales, the West Midlands, eastern Scotland and central southern areas.
Leon Brown, meteorologist at The Weather Channel UK, told Aol Travel: "There will be a colder feel to the weather next week, and there will be more frosts, especially over the north."
However, don't worry about the US freeze coming over here - there's a good chance it won't reach us.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Met Office forecaster Helen Chivers said: "The jet stream will weaken as it moves into the Atlantic."
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