Snow will cascade over the UK for up to 11 days, maps suggest, as forecasters warn Brits will deal with the fallout of a “snowy plunge” in Europe.
The UK has recently stepped into a cold spell, with temperatures plummeting below freezing overnight and remaining in the low single figures throughout much of Saturday, November 25.
Maps appear to show the start of a frosty trend, especially in northern England and Scotland that could prompt snow showers across the UK from Monday, November 27, to Thursday, December 7.
The particular cold in the north has led forecasters to conclude the first few snowflakes of winter 2023/2024 will most likely fall in those areas.
But the south is still likely to see a scattering of snow showers as they sweep through the country in early December. It comes as Britain suffered its coldest day of the autumn so far, with temperatures of -7.7C recorded in Scotland.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Jim Dale, the founder and senior meteorological consultant at British Weather Services, said it would remain cold “more or less for most” into next month.
He said snow events would stick to high ground over the Scottish Mountains, while becoming “few and far between for the vast majority” further south.
Mr Dale added the forecast would “stay that way” for a week, before snowfall becomes more “sporadic”.
While snow will remain after December 7, it will stay “chiefly in the north”, especially in areas higher than 500 feet above sea level.
The forecaster credited the current cold spell to the UK’s place “on the fringes of a snowier plunge” currently engulfing Europe.
He said: “The UK is on the fringes of a deeper/colder/snowier plunge across Europe from what has been a frigid and snowy second half of Autumn for Scandinavia.
“That template is one that will tend to encourage rather than discourage snow and freezing conditions into the UK in the medium term.”
The Met Office has concurred with the forecast, warning a cold spell is on the horizon that could cause temperatures to drop as low as -5C.
Meteorologists have warned that “widespread overnight frosts”, and that forecasted rainfall over the east coast could “turn to sleet”.
Dan Harris, the Met Office deputy chief meteorologist, said the UK would remain “widely cold but quiet” as a “more active weather system” raises the chance of “more significant snowfall”.
