Weather forecasters are warning Britons to prepare for a chillier than average winter with a bleak prediction that "impressively cold temperatures" will blast parts of the UK.
Senior risk meteorologist Jim Dale from British Weather Services said that preparation will be everything for the early to mid part of winter.
He told the Huffington Post UK: "Although we don't expect a cold Armageddon or conditions as bad as the winter of 2010, Britain is not expected to have a mild winter."
Winter weather last year saw snow fall across swathes of the UK
The North and East of the UK is expected to be particularly badly hit, but even London should brace itself for snow, the forecasting service warned. Temperatures could drop as low to -18C in parts of Scotland.
Mr Dale explained how continental fronts are expected to cause dry and cold conditions, rather than the warm wet weather experienced last December.
Autumn colours at Sheffield Park Garden in Uckfield, England. The East Sussex landscape gardens were created by 'Capability' Brown in the 18th century around a centrepiece of four lakes.
However there is some good news. Before the cold snap sets in, Britain is expected to have one final blast of good weather, with a mini-Indian summer expected next week.
Monday and Tuesday could see highs of up to 21C, which with the sunshine will feel like T-shirt weather. It will certainly be a welcome break after the latest bout grim weather.
On Tuesday night the Environment Agency issued 21 flood warnings, mostly for coastal areas in the South West and Wales, and also in the North East.
High tides on Wednesday are likely to lead to more warnings being issued. Autumn weather has been extremely varied. Take a look through the meteorological highs and lows below.