IT IS BEGINNING to look a lot like Christmas in East Lothian – several towns and villages have switched on their festive streetlight displays... and snow is forecast for Friday.

The snow comes with a yellow 'be aware' weather warning issued by the Met Office for south-western parts of the county.

The warning begins at 3am on Friday and runs until noon that day.

As well as East Lothian, it also covers Midlothian and parts of Edinburgh, West Lothian and the Borders, as well as the west of Scotland.

Snow is expected to arrive from the east overnight on Thursday and into Friday.

It is likely to bring a brief period of travel disruption, with a chance of delays and stranded vehicles on higher routes.

The Met Office also warns that there may be an increased chance of traffic collisions due to difficult driving conditions.

Snow may settle briefly across areas as low as 100 metres above sea level, although the Met Office says that through the morning the accumulating snow level is likely to rise to 500 metres and above as milder air arrives from the east.

Snow will then turn to persistent and at times heavy rain at lower levels.

A few centimetres, between two and five, is possible in these lower areas, as well as sleet and snow.

In higher areas, as much as 15-20 centimetres of snow is likely before it turns to rain.