Four days of snow and it will feel like minus five as Beast from the East heads for Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire is being warned to get ready for the coldest winter spell yet with a Beast from the East bringing snow and freezing temperatures to the county this weekend.

Bitter easterly winds will keep temperatures hovering just above freezing all day but it will feel like MINUS 5°C in the wind.

And Met Office weather experts have already issued a yellow warning expecting snow for FOUR DAYS of snow across parts of the county.

Local weather-watcher Jamie Dunlop, from @NNweather, warned: "The latest models are firming up on our coldest spell of winter arriving later this weekend and continuing into next week.

"You can expect Easterly winds giving a significant wind-chill keeping temperatures by day hovering just above freezing with penetrating overnight frosts and a high risk of snow."

The Met Office said: "Cold air will spread across the UK during the weekend with wintry showers likely to push inland into parts of England from the North Sea.

"This is likely to bring areas of accumulating snow through the period with some icy stretches developing. At this stage no single area can be highlighted as more at risk but given the coldness of the air disruption is possible at times."

The threat of snow follows on from rain which has already caused flooding on roads in the county this week, bringing calls to emergency services to rescue stranded vehicles.

Northants Fire & Rescue Service revealed: "We have had a significant increase in people trapped in cars due to driving through flood water.

"Please help us, help you and do not try and drive through floods."

The Met Office warning issued today covers a 57-hour period from 3pm Saturday through to midnight Monday and extends across an area taking in Kettering, Corby and Rushden.

Meterologists say they expect the yellow alert to be updated regularly before the weekend.

Hour-by-hour forecasts for Northampton show temperatures tumbling overnight on Friday into Saturday with the highest chance of snow on Sunday but more showers to follow on Monday and Tuesday.