The incessant rain and floods of recent weeks looks to be over - but now weather forecasters say the UK is set for a bout of sleet and snow and bitterly cold temperatures.
Gritters have been on high alert over the weekend with the mercury in many areas falling well below zero.
Forecaster Paul Mott, of MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "There is much colder weather on the way.
"By Wednesday night the whole of the UK will be seeing frost and sub-zero temperatures during the night.
"And by Thursday there will be wintry showers with the possibility of sleet and snow, even over areas of southern and eastern England. It will be feeling bitterly cold."
On Friday night temperatures dipped as low as minus 9C in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, with northern Scotland suffering the worst of the weather and hard frosts. The coldest place in England was Shap, in Cumbria, where the mercury fell to minus 4C.
But areas of England, particularly in the South East, escaped without frost, and in London temperatures were around 3C to 4C. On Saturday night, the temperatures are likely to be much the same.
With more fog on the way the RAC is warning drivers to beware of treacherous conditions on the roads.
On Friday bookmakers William Hill said there was a 1,000% increase in the number of bets placed on a white Christmas during the week. Aberdeen is the 11/4 favourite, Manchester is 5/1 and London is 9/2.
Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said: "It will cost the industry millions if snow falls on Xmas day."
