UK weather forecast: frosty conditions are going to set in over the next two days (Image: GETTY) The cold snap follows a period of relatively mild weather over the festive period. The nation is about to enter what has been termed the “real winter” as cold conditions move in. Freezing fog will be prominent on Wednesday and Thursday morning. Related articles UK weather forecast: New Year FREEZE strikes - ‘BE PREPARED’ UK long-range weather forecast: The Met Office forecast for January Commenting on the outlook for Wednesday morning, Met Office meteorologist Helen Roberts said: “A few showers clipping the far east at times. “But those clear skies are going to allow temperatures to plummet.” The mercury will fall to as low as -2C in towns and cities but it will be “a lot colder than that in the countryside”, Ms Roberts warned. She continued: “Despite that cold start it will be a bright one for many of us on Wednesday morning. READ MORE: UK weather forecast: New Year FREEZE strikes - ‘BE PREPARED’ UK weather forecast: freezing fog will strike the nation (Image: GETTY) “Any freezing fog patches should gradually lift as the morning progresses.” The lifting of the fog will “allow sunshine to break through”, the weather expert predicted. She said: “Again, we could see eastern areas with a few showers during the course of the day but for the vast majority it is a dry and sunny one. “And after that cold start, temperatures really are going to struggle.” READ MORE: UK weather forecast: 'Extensive frost’ sparks CHAOTIC conditions Related articles Boiler breakdowns: How to prevent it happening to you UK cold weather: BIG FREEZE heading for the UK UK weather forecast: frosty weather could make for hazardous driving conditions (Image: GETTY) Wednesday night will be a “repeat performance”, with “clear skies across the bulk of the country allowing temperatures to drop away quite readily,” Ms Roberts advised. She said: “We will just see some slightly thicker cloud pushing in towards the far north-west and the rest of Scotland. “But otherwise clear skies - a cold night and again a widespread frost by Thursday morning.” It will be a “chilly start” to Thursday, with “a lot of sunshine once again”, Ms Roberts forecasted. UK weather forecast: the Met Office has forecast temperatures are going to struggle to rise all day (Image: MetOffice) The weather expert continued: “Where we have the freezing fog patches, they may be a little more stubborn on Thursday morning. “In fact, in parts of Somerset and through the Avon Valley those freezing fog patches might persist all day.” The effect of the fog will be to “really suppress temperatures”, she said.All rights reserved for this news site express.co.uk and under his responsibility