With temperatures plunging to -4C overnight, it could be one of the coldest nights of the year so far.

The Met Office have said levels will drop well below zero in the early hours of Tuesday.

Forecasters have said it’ll be a clear, cold and frosty night, with light winds and some freezing fog in patches.

Although councils plan to send out gritters to priority streets in the region, the Met Office have not issued any weather warnings.

A spokeswoman for the Met Office described the conditions as ‘settled’.

She said: “It is temperatures we would expect at this time of year. It is cold, but it is not unusual.

“We have got high pressure dominating our weather, which means it is quite settled.

Trentabank Reservoir, Macclesfield

On Tuesday it will be another fine and dry day, with plenty of sunshine.

However, it is still going to feel cold with highs of just 4C (39F) expected.

Meanwhile, the Met Office has said there is a chance of snow falling in the UK on December 25 in its latest predictions.

Following the release of the forecast, William Hill started offering odds of 5-1 on snow in Manchester, with odds as low as 3-1 for a White Christmas in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Weather models are still to be updated closer to the day but the latest outlook says "some snow" could be expected over high ground in the north.

A statement posted online yesterday said: "High pressure is likely to dominate from mid December, with fairly 'blocked' conditions becoming established across the UK.

"This weather pattern would lead to drier than average conditions and lighter winds.

"Interludes of more unsettled weather are expected to be fairly limited, although these could still lead to some snow over high ground in the north.

Macclesfield Snow Pictures . Macclesfield Forest and Peak National Park area . 18 January . 2016 . Picture by Matt Ratcliffe

"It is likely to be rather a cold period, with temperatures below average for the time of year, and a continued risk of overnight frosts.

"Whilst it may be relatively mild at times, temperatures on the whole through this period are likely to be below average."

The last official white Christmas was in 2010 when snow was widespread across Northern Ireland, Scotland, parts of Wales, and the Midlands, north-east and far south-west of England.

It was an extremely unusual day as there was snow on the ground at 83 per cent of weather stations - the highest amount ever recorded - and snow or sleet at 19 per cent of stations.

The Met Office declares a white Christmas if one snowflake is observed falling in the 24 hours of December 25 somewhere in the UK.

That has happened 38 times in the last 54 years.

The Met Office said Britain is more likely to see snow between January and March than in December, with climate change reducing the chances of a white Christmas.

Snow or sleet falls an average 3.9 days in December, compared to 5.3 days in January, 5.6 days in February and 4.2 days in March.

Last week's snowfall in north-west and south-west England, Northern Ireland, western Scotland and parts of Wales was the UK's first big blast of wintry weather.