Forecasters say people in the North East could be in for an arctic blast of cold air, and potentially some snow in the region as winter hits.

Temperatures have already started plummeting and a weather pattern developing over Scandinavia could bring in much cooler air from the north from Monday, say forecasters.

Met Office forecasters say mist and fog will be slow to clear across the North East, much like earlier in the week, when a yellow weather warning was in place for the region, although it will remain largely dry and cold, with temperatures struggling to top 6C.

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Thanks to clear skies, temperatures will fall to 1C tonight with some patchy frost.

But over the weekend it will be colder thanks to a 'brisk easterly wind', according to the Met Office.

The clouds start to roll in on Sunday which will bring showers which will be 'turning wintry over hills'.

The pattern continues on Monday.

The long-range Met Office forecast for the UK says these showers will be heaviest in the east the south of the country, but the North East could still see snow on the hills and in the evenings on Monday and Tuesday next week.

Meanwhile, coming back to the North East, it will be drier and we can look forward to some sunny spells.

The Met Office says: "Continuing through the week, occasional showers are expected, these heaviest and most frequent along eastern coasts with a chance of longer spells of rain for southern UK.

"Showers may become wintry over higher ground, with a further risk of sleet over lower levels at times. A cold northerly flow is likely to develop, drawing temperatures below average and feeling even colder at times, particularly during fresh winds.

"This may bring some wintry weather, with an increased risk of overnight frost and perhaps snow showers, not confined to higher ground."

Specific to the North East, the Met Office has predicted temperatures reaching 2C and even freezing over the weekend and into next week - however, no weather warning is currently in place for any part of the UK, let alone the North East.

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