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Weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued for parts of Scotland from Sunday as forecasters predict plunging temperatures amid the first cold spell of the season.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for parts of northern England and southern Scotland on Monday and Tuesday, with up to 20cm (about 8in) of snow possible on higher ground.

A separate warning for snow and ice is in place in northern Scotland from 4pm on Sunday until 11am on Monday.

The cold front comes after weeks of mild, above-average temperatures and is likely to reach all parts of the UK by the middle of next week.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Scotland weather presenter Joy Dunlop says: "This weekend will feel noticeably colder, as an Arctic airflow brings wintry conditions and the likelihood of ice and snow.

"While Sunday will be a dry and fine day with plenty of sunshine for many, it will feel chilly - with showers in the north west and Northern Isles turning increasingly wintry through the day with hail, sleet and some snow.

"Overnight into Monday, a widespread frost will develop as temperatures fall to near or below freezing."

The weather forecaster said Monday will see an area of low pressure move in from the south west and as this rain bumps into the Arctic air, spells of sleet and snow are likely to develop.

"While there is an uncertainty of the position of this rain, the Met Office have issued a warning snow and ice covering central and southern Scotland," Ms Dunlop said.

"The most likely scenario is for most of the snow to fall on high ground, with 5cm to 10cm possible above 300 metres and perhaps as much as 15cm to 20cm above 400 metres.

"There is a small chance of snow settling at lower levels, where 5cm to 10 cm would prove much more disruptive, but this is very uncertain.

"As rain, sleet and snow clear on Tuesday morning, ice may also form on untreated surfaces."

Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge said: "Technically and meteorologically, we are not in winter yet.

"It's still late autumn as for meteorologists winter begins in December - but this is the first really cold spell of the season so far."

Forecasters have said the cold spell looks set to last for about a week before milder Atlantic air returns in time for the start of winter.