Here comes winter...

Next week is tipped to bring the first cold weather of the winter to much of the UK.

Apologies to anyone who's going to be stuck in work but conditions towards the middle of the week look like real old fashioned pike fishing weather.

Go careful out there tomorrow - see storm warnings.

Severe weather warnings update

The Met Office has revised its severe weather warnings issued for much of England and Wales for Thursday. Click here for latest.

Forecasters now reckon the start of next week will see the long-awaited cold snap arrive, as winds veer round to the North bringing Arctic air with them.

Many pike anglers have blamed the incredibly mild and unsettled spell of weather we've enjoyed since Christmas for lack of runs of late.

Gusts of up to 70mph are expected to batter parts of England, Northern Ireland and Wales for several days from tomorrow (Thursday...) morning.

The storms will be followed by a cold snap which could last five days and is expected to bring bring snow to Scotland, northern England and parts of the Midlands next week.

Snow fell last night and early today in central Scotland but had almost all melted by the morning rush hour.

While winds are expected to hit 60mph at times today in Scotland, stronger gusts are expected across parts of the UK tomorrow. Worst hit are expected to be the coastlines of Kent and Sussex.

Temperatures are tipped to begin dropping by the weekend, with sleet and snow expected in the north by the beginning of next week.

Severe weather warnings issued

Severe weather warnings are being issued by the Met Office for later this week, in what is rapidly becoming a familiar story.

Gales of 60mph or more are forecast for most parts of the British Isles on Wednesday and Thursday.

A change to north-easterly winds next week is expected to bring the much-awaited cold snap and a spell of dry, frosty weather.

Click here.

More gales on the way, warns Met Office

Severe weather warnings are being issued by the Met Office, with gales and heavy rain forecast acrosss the UK on Thursday.

It came after a day when heavy rain made rivers burst their banks in Cambridgeshire, Shropshire and the Cotswolds.

Pike anglers thinking of venturing out on boats are warned to check local forecasts before setting out.

Click here for Met Office warnings