Forecasters are predicting a chilling Halloween as temperatures plummet, with even a chance of snow on higher ground.

Met Office chiefs say that temperatures could plummet at the start of this week and drivers may have to brace themselves for frost in the mornings and overnight.

According to reports in the national press we could even see some of the white stuff on the spookiest night of the year.

Forecaster Bonnie Diamond told MailOnline said: "The weekend ahead will be a bit of a north south divide in the UK.

"Monday will feel much colder with temperatures of around 12C in the day, but at night that will go right down and into Tuesday morning, it is likely we will see widespread frost in rural areas particularly."

Last month some forecasters predicted a four-month big freeze, although the Met Office said it was difficult to predict the full extent of any cold weather that far in advance.

The Met Office said average temperatures next week would fall from 12C on Tuesday to 7C on Saturday.

Exacta Weather forecaster James Madden said snow could fall across the UK, possibly even in central and southern England, before the end of October.

He said: “Temperatures will drop and the risk of snow will rise considerably towards the end of this month and into the start of November.

Parts of central and southern England may be at risk of some wintry weather during the final part of this month although here it is not expected to be as significant.

James continued: "However this first taste of winter will pave the way for the first major snow of the season during November and this will reach lower levels of the country.

“There is high confidence at this stage that wintery weather will hold out through the second half of November and into December.”