A Highways Agency worker loads gritting salt on to a spreading machine at their South Mimms Depot in Hertfordshire. Photo: Steve Parsons/PA Wire

London is on standby for a blast of cold weather, with snow forecast in some areas.

Temperatures are expected to drop everywhere over the weekend, with wintry showers expected in Scotland and down the east coast.

Temperatures in 2013 have been mild so far but the mercury is expected to plummet over the next few days.

Alexi Boothman, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: “Temperatures will fall over the weekend, and in many places, even during the daytime, we won’t see more than a degree or two above zero.

“From overnight tonight we can expect to see wintry showers arriving in parts of Scotland and north east England, driven by cold easterly winds, and also down the east coast as far as East Anglia. There may also be some snow showers in Wales.”

The Highways Agency said it was “well prepared” for winter conditions.

A spokeswoman said: “We have a fleet of 500 state-of-the-art winter vehicles on stand-by, supported by tried and tested winter resilience plans.

“We have reviewed salt stock levels and taken action where needed to enhance our resilience and we have again established a reserve salt stock to help ensure that there is enough salt to deal with severe winter.

“Our roads will be treated whenever there is a risk of ice or snow. However, even when roads have been treated, drivers should still take care, especially on stretches where the local road layout or landscape means there could be a greater risk of ice forming.”