UK snow warning: Huge Arctic blast to UNLEASH weekend snow storms across Britain - maps
BRITAIN is expecting a massive Arctic blast to whip southwards and send the majority country into a deep freeze with the risk of snow in some areas.
Weather: Chart forecasts cold spell to hit in December
The UK has already been hit by bitterly cold temperatures this winter season after thermometers plunged to -9.9C overnight in some parts of Scotland last week. Now, a spell of high pressure is expected to dominate this weekend, increasing the risk of some snowfall for parts of Britain. Arctic winds are forecast to sweep southwards and grip the majority of the nation as temperatures dramatically tumble.
According to the latest weather charts, which analyses the likelihood of snowfall across the UK, NETWEATHER’s graphs show Scotland and the north of England at risk of snow on Saturday evening, with the maps red and white, indicating a high chance of the white stuff falling.
The charts also show a risk of some snow across the southwest of Scotland and the northwest of England in the early hours of Monday morning.
On Monday, BBC Weather’s Simon King wrote on Twitter: “You may notice how mild it is this morning. The first part of this week will be dominated by southerlies bringing in some tropical air.
“But, you'll need to dig out the winter warmers by the end of the week with a switch to polar air…”
Channel 4 Weatherman Liam Dutton wrote on Twitter that there was “a big change in the weather in the coming days”.
Mr Dutton said the jet stream would meander in a “big, wavy pattern”, in effect, slowing down the “progression of low pressure”.
He said this would give “a chance for high pressure to build” allowing drier, colder weather to move across the country.
Writing on Monday, BBC Weather forecaster Matt Taylor warned that by Saturday the UK would be expecting day time highs of only 3C in Glasgow and Inverness, 5C in Leeds and 7C in London.
READ MORE: UK snow forecast: SHOCK map shows heavy snow to blanket UK NEXT WEEK
You'll need to dig out the winter warmers by the end of the week with a switch to polar air
Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said that there would be some flakes of snow across the country this weekend.
He said: “Saturday morning is going to be cold, a really cold start to the day.
“Minus double-digits across some parts of Scotland for instance.
“Widespread frost up and down the country. Apart from maybe some parts of the southwest.”
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The Met Office meteorologist added there was some uncertainty about an area of low pressure near the southwest of the UK and the impact it would have on Britain over the course of the weekend.
He added: “There will be some flakes of snow in some parts of the UK.
“Northerly winds as they arrive on Friday and Saturday will bring some showers to northern Scotland and perhaps some parts of eastern England.”
But, the Met Office forecaster added the snow would be restricted mainly to higher ground.
BBC Weather’s long-range forecast has warned about the bitterly cold conditions sweeping southwards across the whole of the country.
The outlook for Wednesday 27 December, to Sunday, December, adds the UK could be hit by “freezing fog” with “frost likely”.
It reads: “By Friday, most of the UK will be dry with just a few showers along North Sea coasts and perhaps over the far south-west of England too.
“It will be a cool day and Friday night will bring a widespread frost. There could also be some mist and fog and perhaps some patches of freezing fog.
“Saturday will see a low pressure system moving in from the Atlantic.
“There is some uncertainty over the path this system will follow, but it could bring some rain to South West England and Wales during the day, and southern counties of England overnight.”
Before then, the UK is bracing for heavy rain to smash into some parts of the country.
The Met Office has issued a series of yellow weather warnings for rainfall, with the risk of localised flooding and travel disruption in some areas.
Leading bookmakers have slashed odds on this month going down as the coldest on record.
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: "We're strapping ourselves in for a bitter December with record-breaking temperatures potentially on the way."