Storm Ophelia batters Britain
Waves whipped up by Hurricane Ophelia crash over the seafront in Penzance on October 16, 2017 in Cornwall, England Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images

The UK is bracing itself for another winter storm as Caroline prepares to bring strong winds and heavy rain.

A severe weather warning has been issued with winds of up to 80mph expected to hit large swathes of the UK as it moves from north to south.

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The warning is in place for much of Thursday 7 December, with Scotland expected to face the brunt of Caroline.

A Met Office statement said: "Storm Caroline is expected to bring a spell of very windy weather to northern Scotland on Thursday.

"Gusts of 60-70mph are expected quite widely, with gusts to 80mph possible near north facing mainland coasts and across the Isles.

"Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible. Some short term loss of power and other services is possible.

"It is likely that some coastal routes, sea fronts and coastal communities will be affected by spray and/or large waves."

After the storm, the milder weather which parts of the UK have been experiencing this week is set to disappear with temperatures set to plummet across the country.

Up north, the mercury is predicted to dip comfortably under zero, with lows of -3 degrees Celsius expected in parts of Edinburgh. There is a chance of snow for some areas too.

Most parts of the UK are expected to dip to at least zero degrees Celsius as the cold snap follows the storm.

Caroline is the fourth major storm to hit the UK this year following Aileen in September, ex-hurricane Ophelia in October and Brian, also in October.