PARTS of the North-East and North Yorkshire woke up to snowfall last night and a warning that further wintry weather may be on the way.

Rain, sleet and snow is expected across broad swathes of northern England, with the region seeing blankets of snow on hilltops today, December 4. 

A Met Office yellow warnings for ice and snow are in place across large areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland and stretch down into North Yorkshire could see people travel disruption. 

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern described early this morning as being that “awkward mixture of cold rain, sleet and falling snow” for many areas across the country. 

The Met Office first said the cold spell is expected to last through to Friday but that the weekend would see brighter weather and even some sunshine, but swathes of the North-East are forecast for rain this weekend.

It added that temperatures going into next week would be lower than the average annual temperature, which is usually about 7-9C. 

As a result, the likes of Hexham and Billingham are forecast for hill snow while an online map showed that areas west of Barnard Castle, Stanhope and Richmond are most likely to be affected by weather warnings.

But areas in the North-East and North Yorkshire have seen blankets of snow lying on the hills for days now. 

With Christmas certainly set to be a strange one this year due to the pandemic, it may at least look at part if streets and landscapes turn white. 

Let's take a look at the snow-hit region over the past decade:

The Northern Echo: Stranded motorists on the A169 high up on the North York Moors near Goathland, 2012. Picture: PAStranded motorists on the A169 high up on the North York Moors near Goathland, 2012. Picture: PA

The Northern Echo: Postman Paul Goodwin on his usual rounds in Hobson, County Durham, during the Beast from the East in 2018.Picture: Gavin EngelbrechtPostman Paul Goodwin on his usual rounds in Hobson, County Durham, during the Beast from the East in 2018.Picture: Gavin Engelbrecht

The Northern Echo: Cars struggle in the snow on the A66 on the County Durham and Cumbria boarder as blizzards sweep the north of the country.Cars struggle in the snow on the A66 on the County Durham and Cumbria boarder as blizzards sweep the north of the country.

The Northern Echo: Yet another Atlantic storm rages in across the country, nothern England is being affected by wintry conditions. A snow ploughs clear deep snow near Bishop Auckland in County Durham today following heavy overnight snowfall 14 Picture: NORTH NEWS Yet another Atlantic storm rages in across the country, nothern England is being affected by wintry conditions. A snow ploughs clear deep snow near Bishop Auckland in County Durham today following heavy overnight snowfall 14 Picture: NORTH NEWS

The Northern Echo: A sheep frozen and buried in a snow drift in Teesdale, which has been a common scene across the country as farmers struggle with the unseasonal weather conditions during lambing season. 2013. Picture: NORTH NEWSA sheep frozen and buried in a snow drift in Teesdale, which has been a common scene across the country as farmers struggle with the unseasonal weather conditions during lambing season. 2013. Picture: NORTH NEWS

The Northern Echo: Huge icicles form on a wooden aquaduct observed by Tina Raynor of Killhope, County Durham. 2013. Picture: NORTH NEWSHuge icicles form on a wooden aquaduct observed by Tina Raynor of Killhope, County Durham. 2013. Picture: NORTH NEWS

The Northern Echo: A farmer cuts through deep snow to reach his home near Lanehead, County Durham. 2013. Picture: NORTH NEWSA farmer cuts through deep snow to reach his home near Lanehead, County Durham. 2013. Picture: NORTH NEWS

The Northern Echo: A cyclist gives up trying to ride his bike and wades through deep snow near Bowes, County Durham, as the big freeze returns to northern Britain. 2011. Picture: NORTH NEWSA cyclist gives up trying to ride his bike and wades through deep snow near Bowes, County Durham, as the big freeze returns to northern Britain. 2011. Picture: NORTH NEWS

The Northern Echo: Stuart Corner digs out his cars covered in a mountain of snow in his garden in Copley, County Durham, 2012. Picture: NORTH NEWSStuart Corner digs out his cars covered in a mountain of snow in his garden in Copley, County Durham, 2012. Picture: NORTH NEWS

The Northern Echo: Snow covers Saltburn in East Cleveland in 2010.Snow covers Saltburn in East Cleveland in 2010.