UK weather forecast: conditions are set to turn much colder as Britons enter 2019 (Image: METOFFICE/GETTY) Conditions are set to take a brisk turn as it will get “really cold, really quickly”. The temperature plunge follows a spell of unseasonably mild weather. The Met Office has warned Britons to “be prepared” for the colder weather ahead of their return to work on Wednesday. Related articles BBC Weather: Britain heading into New Year with 70mph winds and FROST UK snow Met Office forecast: Which areas could see snow in January? Commenting on the New Year’s Day outlook, Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said: “We are not going to see much of a frost. “Further south it will be mild as we start 2019 - but it is going to turn colder.” New Year’s Day will be a “grey start” for Northern Ireland, north-west England and Wales,” Mr Deakin said. Britons will see some sunshine start to develop in the north as they head towards lunchtime, he predicted. READ MORE: UK weather forecast: Britons braced for ‘SNOW STORMS’ in January UK weather forecast: the roads could be icy in January (Image: GETTY) There will “sunny spells” for most of Scotland, he continued, with some “snow showers” in the Shetlands. He said: “Further south we will see increasing amounts of cloud and we should also see some sunshine across the south-east and the far south-west. “Still relatively mild, here.” However, the weather expert advised it would “start to turn colder” as a band of cloud “pushes southwards” towards the end of the day. READ MORE: BBC UK weather forecast: FROST to BLAST Britain on New Year's Day Related articles BBC UK weather forecast: FROST to BLAST Britain on New Year's Day BBC Weather: Britain heading into New Year with 70mph winds and FROST UK weather forecast: 'Be prepared' (Image: METOFFICE) He said: “And it will feel a lot of colder in the east in that wind. “It will be noticeable if you are out for a New Year’s Day walk. “And it gets really cold, really quickly as we got through the night. “Temperatures plummeting under clear skies.” As a result of the falling mercury there will be a “fairly extensive frost” overnight, Mr Deakin said. He said: “Heading back to work on Wednesday, be prepared - you may have to scrape the car.”All rights reserved for this news site express.co.uk and under his responsibility