The island could face blizzards and snow drifts on higher ground overnight on Saturday and into Sunday.

The Met Office at Ronaldsway has given an update on what people can expect from the wintry weather at the weekend.

But forecasters do say populated areas on lower ground should escape the worst of it.

This week has already seen a significant drop in temperatures well into single figures after a largely mild if windy festive season.

Two yellow weather warning for ice and snow have already been issued this week with the latest set to end at midday on Friday, although more weather warnings are expected.

Friday will see highs of 7C on Friday with frost spreading later in the day. Saturday will reach only 6C with some wintry showers on the hills before more widespread sleet and slow arriving overnight.

The Met Office says: ‘There is a risk of icy patches to start then ice/ snow later. Significant accumulations of snow will begin on high ground later with severe drifting.

‘The snow level still a little uncertain but rain/ sleet is most probable on low ground. There will be strong winds later.’

But Sunday will see the worst of the wintry weather with higher ground set to be hit by blizzards. There will be highs of just 3C.

The Met Office says: ‘There will be spells of rain, sleet and snow which will be heavy at times then dying out late in the day/overnight.

‘The strong winds will give blizzards and severe drifting on the hills with deep drifts forming in places. However, most of the towns and populated areas will escape with the snow level likely to be a few hundred feet.’

Monday is not looking quite so bad but isolated wintry showers are expected with highs of 5C and it is set to be a similar story on Tuesday.

In the UK, yellow weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office for ice across Scotland, northwest England, parts of north Wales and Northern Ireland earlier in the week and a warning for snow and ice across almost all of the over the weekend and into Monday.