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Snow is expected across England this week as the temperatures drop close to freezing - with bookmakers slashing the odds of snow hitting as far south as London.

Sleet and heavy rain are forecast for those areas that will be slightly warmer, according to Met Office forecasts.

The snow is expected to hit on the early hours of Thursday morning, with heavy snow predicted in Penrith and Keswick and in Leyburn in north Yorkshire and in Buxton in Derbyshire.

As Thursday passes, snow will be seen across the north east and north west of England, spreading further down south through the rest of the day and into Friday.

(Image: Metoffice.co.uk)

Daytime temperatures will hover around 2C and 3C, with the hottest temperature of 5C in Southhampton.

By Thursday evening, snow is expected in Lincoln, Grantham, Stoke-on-Trent and Telford.

In the early hours of Friday morning, light snow showers will be seen as far south as Oxford, with snowfall also expected in Kings Lynn and Sheffield.

(Image: PA)

Nighttime temperatures will hover around 1C, with 0C expected in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Friday is likely to be sunny across the country, although there is snow forecast for Coventry and Birmingham.

On Friday evening and Saturday morning there will be snowfall in Norwich and Lowestoft.

Nighttime temperatures are expected to again hover around the freezing mark.

The snow is expected to be replaced by sunny conditions throughout the country on Saturday.

(Image: Metoffice.co.uk)

The Met office forecast for the North East for Thursday to Saturday is: "Rain and hill-snow Thursday clearing to become mainly dry with sunshine and scattered wintry showers, mainly in the east, through Friday and Saturday. Nights turning even colder, with widespread frost."

(Image: Getty)

The Met office forecast for the North West says: "Cold through this period with overnight frosts and breezy at times. Occasional showers are expected, which will fall as snow over higher ground and increasingly to lower levels at times."

(Image: Metoffice.co.uk)

The East of England forecast is: "Showery rain, and perhaps some wet snow during Thursday, clearing later to drier, clearer, but windier conditions. Sunshine and isolated wintry showers Friday and Saturday. Becoming colder with widespread frosts."

Yorkshire and Humberside: "Rain and hill-snow Thursday clearing to become mainly dry with sunshine and scattered wintry showers, mainly in the east, through Friday and Saturday. Nights turning even colder, with widespread frost."

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The West Midlands will be: "Cold generally with frosts and breezy at times. Occasional showers and sunny spells, particularly Friday, falling as snow over higher ground and also to lower levels at times."

(Image: Getty)

The East Midlands will be: "Rain and perhaps snow Thursday slowly clearing to sunshine, scattered wintry showers and strong winds later and through Friday. Dry and sunny by Saturday. Becoming colder with widespread frosts."

South West England: "Generally cold with overnight frosts. Good sunny spells and occasional showers, snow mainly on higher grounds, which could be heavy and thundery at times, possibly with hail and sleet."

(Image: PA)

No snow is predicted for London and the South East, with the Met Office saying: "Showery rain, and perhaps some sleet during Thursday, clearing later to drier, clearer, but windier conditions. Mostly dry with sunny spells Friday and Saturday. Becoming colder with widespread frosts."

But Bookmakers Coral still reckons snow is a likely bet in London, putting odds for snowfall in the capital by the end of the week at 1/3.

(Image: Rex Features)

Coral has also opened betting on what the lowest temperature in the UK will be this week.

They have put odds of 2-1 that thermometers will plummet to -7C, while it is 7-1 that they drop to -9 or less.



Meanwhile, the odds for this January being the coldest one on record have been cut to 16-1 from 25-1.1.