Winter begins today - Wintry weather only in a few places

December 1st marks the meteorological start of winter in the world of weather. However, not everywhere in Europe is experiencing wintry weather.

Only a few regions are currently experiencing snow and cold temperatures.

The Alps are offering glorious weather from Switzerland to Vorarlberg in Austria at the start of the week. There is plenty of snow on the mountains and the sun is shining frequently.

In contrast, "proper" winter cold will only be found in northern Scandinavia over the next few days. Otherwise, there will be almost no sign of persistent frost and snow.

After a wintry flurry last week in the UK and Ireland, snow has receded once again to only higher altitudes, including the Cairngorm National Park.