With snow expected to arrive in the UK as early as tomorrow, (Tuesday November 8), the advice is to be prepared for our coldest winter in years.

Temperatures around west London are set to plummet to -3C overnight alongside freezing frosts.

The Met Office has warned we could face colder than average temperatures due to a weakening to the stratospheric polar.

And if you are wondering what a polar vortex is, according to the Met Office, it is the wind system that circles around the North Pole during winter.

The experts at the Met Office said the polar vortex "has not strengthened as much as usual this autumn."

"This weakness is forecast to continue over the coming weeks," a spokesman for the met said.

This could, warn the Met Office, increase the chances of "colder-than-normal conditions in early winter."

This snowy scene in Portman Gardens, Hillingdon, was tweeted by Sri Kanthadai

And it is not only a Polar Vortex which is pushing temperatures down.

Professor Adam Scaife, head of long-range prediction at the Met Office Hadley Centre, said tropical rainfall can also play a part including unusual rainfall conditions in the Indian Ocean this year.

Snow fall across Osterley House

Around west London, temperatures are set to plummet tonight.

"Frost for many places, especially for locations west of London, and some patchy low cloud or freezing fog may develop," the Met Office spokesman said.

"Minimum Temperature -3 °C."

And with warmer than average winters in recent years, the concern is that we could be taken by surprise, so the advice from councils it to keep an eye out for vulnerable neighbours.

Cllr Eleanor Southwood, lead member for environment at Brent Council said: “I would like to encourage people to look out for older and vulnerable friends, neighbours and relatives to make sure they are safe and well through the colder months ahead."

It's set to e the coldest winter in years

With Londoner's facing freezing fog over the coming nights, should there be concern over travel conditions?

Is your Council prepared?

Brent Council has said it has more than 326 grit bins on the streets, which are filled with salt ready for the frost, plus an extra 1,100 tonnes of salt in stock.

Cllr Southwood said: “Residents can be assured that we are prepared to deal with any cold snaps or extended periods of cold weather that might come our way this winter."

Ealing Council has 4,500 tonnes of grit at the ready.

A spokesman told getwestlondon: "We have five gritting lorries and a snow plough on standby for when temperatures fall."

Louise Raisey from Hammersmith and Fulham Council, said: "We are ready and have our usual preparations in place for gritting the streets."

Londoners have been advised to brace themselves for snow

The risk of a cold start to winter has increased to 30% this year and the Met Office's advice is for people to be prepared as some events in the weather "may warrant some mitigating actions."

Keep up to date with the latest news in west London via the free getwestlondon app.

You can even set it to receive push notifications for all the breaking news in your area.

Available to download from the App Store or Google Play for Android now!