Large areas of the UK are set to experience freezing rain this week, with temperatures expected to plunge below 0C. The Met Office has described freezing rain as an unusual type of liquid precipitation that freezes instantly upon contact.
This weather phenomenon requires very specific conditions and is therefore not a common occurrence.
The west coast of Scotland is predicted to be hit by freezing rain around midnight on Wednesday, according to the latest weather maps from Ventusky. A near 50-mile stretch of freezing rain is anticipated from Armadale to Dumbarton.
While the western coast of Scotland will bear the brunt of the weather, bands of rain are also forecast for other parts of the country. Concurrently, temperatures are expected to plummet well below 0C.
On Wednesday morning, most of Scotland is likely to experience temperatures between -1C and -3C. The coldest regions in the UK appear to be Hereford and Gloucester, where temperatures could drop to -4C, reports the Mirror.
The Met Office has warned that freezing rain could lead to travel disruptions and hazardous conditions. While it's a rare occurrence in the UK, it's much more common in countries like the US.
The Met Office explained: "The weight of the ice can sometimes be heavy enough to bring down trees and power lines, and the glaze of ice on the ground effectively turns roads and pathways into an ice rink. The freezing rain can also prove extremely hazardous for aircraft."
Meanwhile, new weather charts indicate that the UK could once again be battered by icy conditions, with even southern regions feeling the chill. WXCharts maps for November 30 show a significant chance of snowfall across large parts of Britain.
The forecast suggests that snow could fall in Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, the Cotswolds and Stoke-on-Trent as temperatures plummet to a chilly -2C.
However, the harshest conditions are expected around Inverness and Aberdeen, where temperatures could drop to a freezing -6C.
The Met Office's long-range forecast from 27 November to 6 December warns: "After a settled start across much of England and Wales, it will be quickly turning unsettled across Northern Ireland, Scotland, and then the remainder of England and Wales through Wednesday and into Thursday, with cloud and rain bearing Atlantic systems heralding a step change back towards more changeable, or even unsettled conditions through the last days of November into early December.
"Rain could at times be heavy and prolonged, with the risk of gales. There could be some short-lived transient settled periods too, perhaps bringing an increased risk of frost and fog for a day or two, this most likely further south east.
"Milder than seen recently, with temperatures more generally above average than below through much of the period."