Let it snow! Parts of Britain are hit by four inches of the white stuff with a MONTH'S worth of rain due on Wednesday (even though it's hotter than Madrid)

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Parts of Britain have been hit by four inches of snow overnight and -4C temperatures as winter tightens its grip.  

Forecasters have warned that this is only the start of severe weather conditions this week, with a Met Office alert stating that up to four inches of rain expected to hit parts of northern England on Wednesday.

Heavy and persistent downpours are expected to cause flooding to properties and cause travel misery for motorists and those using buses and trains around the North later this week. 

The rising sun lights up Corfe Castle in Dorset yesterday morning as temperatures in parts of Britain fell below freezing

A pony in a frost covered field as the sun rises in Swillington, West Yorkshire, yesterday morning ahead of another chilly day

Visibility is poor as the City of London is partly obscured by morning fog yesterday as winter tightened its grip on the UK

The Shard and other skyscrapers in Central London can hardly be seen through the fog that covered the capital yesterday

However temperatures are expected to be relatively balmy in England on Wednesday, with 15C (59F) possible in Devon and possibly other parts of the South – higher than the 14C (57F) forecast in Madrid.

But up to four inches of rain - around a month's worth - is expected on higher ground on the same day, while most places in the warning area covering parts of Cumbria, Lancashire and West Yorkshire could see up to two inches.

Today, most of the snow fell in Scotland just north of Glasgow and Edinburgh with further flurries expected to hit the region over the following days as forecasters warned of difficult conditions on the roads.

Temperatures plunged to -4C (25F) in the Cairngorms last night and also fell to freezing in parts of southern England. A surge of frigid air is expected again next weekend, with a cold front moving in from the Arctic.  

The rest of the UK should escape the wintry weather but could see heavy rain instead. The Met Office is predicting a changeable and unsettled picture this week, with a particularly wet and windy day across the UK on Thursday.

Met Office meteorologist Helen Roberts had previously warned that high ground above 1,900ft could expect up to four inches of snow by breakfast time – and maps showed the forecast amount had fallen this morning.

She said: 'It looks like the snow won't settle below 1,300ft, so cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh will simply be wet. Things are looking unsettled for the rest of the week, with repeated bands of rain coming in.

'Northern parts of Scotland will hold on to colder air, so there is an increased risk of things turning wintry there.'

Parts of Scotland have been hit by snow (in blue) overnight, with up to four inches falling in parts of the Highlands

The forecast includes the prospect of snow again for several nights this week, before Arctic air takes charge by next weekend, bringing more low temperatures. A surge of cold air will sweep across Scotland from the north.

Parts of Scotland also dropped to -4C yesterday morning and frosts were seen in areas affected by snowfall. Yesterday, Traffic Scotland used its Twitter feed to warn motorists of dangers posed by falling temperatures.

Drivers were also advised to ensure their vehicle is ready for winter, by checking their brakes, tyres, lights, batteries, wiper blades and windscreens before a journey.

While the first snow of the season could raise hopes of a white Christmas this year, experts say it is too early to tell.