This winter is forecast to be warmer and perhaps drier than average, according to predictions by the UK's national weather service.
However, it is expected to be noticeably colder than last year, which was the second warmest winter since the UK climate series began in 1914.

"There is a high probability that this winter will be drier than last year, which was exceptionally wet," the Met Office wrote in its forecast.

Winter 2006/7 saw an average UK temperature of 5.6 degrees centigrade.

The Met Office takes winter to be the months of December, January, and February.