UK to be hit by SNOW this week amid Scandinavian chill

Parts of Britain will hit by the primary snow of autumn this week as a chilly climate system from Scandinavia sweeps in and temperatures plunge to as little as -8C.

Arctic winds have introduced widespread frosts in latest days and the North will see wintry showers from Wednesday earlier than an space of low stress arrives on Thursday.

This system might meet colder air and create rain over southern England and Wales which the Met Office stated might flip to ‘vital snowfall’ over greater floor.

There will even be a threat of additional wintry showers within the northern half of the UK with the potential for hill snow, with temperatures falling to -8C (18F) in rural areas.

The Met Office has not but launched its forecast for the Christmas interval, saying that situations for the 2 weeks as much as December 25 are ‘most definitely to be changeable’.

A gaggle of girls journey horses by way of a frost-covered Richmond Park in London on Saturday

The Met Office has warned of doable ‘vital snowfall’ in components of Britain this week

Wetter and windier than common situations are stated to be ‘barely extra seemingly than regular’ and temperatures are ‘most definitely to be close to or above common total’, however this ‘does not rule out some spells of chilly climate and related wintry hazards’.

Forecasters stated a short return to barely milder situations at present will make means for a widespread chilly spell halfway by way of this week, with an opportunity of sleet and snow falling in some areas.

Greg Dewhurst, meteorologist on the Met Office, stated: ‘Overall, (it’s) typically a chilly week to come back – much less chilly tonight into tomorrow morning, for a time a brief, much less chilly spell, earlier than frost and fog are the primary options initially.

‘Then (there may be) potential for some rain and a few hill snow as we transfer by way of the latter a part of Wednesday into Thursday.’

Mr Dewhurst stated the overwhelming majority of the UK was frost-free final evening, because of the cloud and rain round, with temperatures typically between 3C and 6C.

Scotland might see temperatures dip as little as -3C, with showers presumably turning into sleet and snow over greater floor.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland shall be fairly cloudy with outbreaks of rain this morning, earlier than an space of low stress pulls south eastwards in direction of the continent to create brighter spells.

Figures will peak in double figures in southern England and Wales at present however will start to slip heading into tomorrow, which shall be largely dry with some early fog and sunny spells.

It shall be a broadly frosty night tomorrow evening, with temperatures typically round -2C to -5C and presumably as little as -8C within the far north of England and rural Scotland.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Harris stated: ‘Some rain, or showers, are prone to have an effect on some components of the east coast, and these might flip more and more wintry over greater floor areas in direction of the center of the week.

‘Thereafter, confidence within the detailed forecast falls, which is typical when wanting this far forward. It does look as if there shall be a development in direction of one thing extra unsettled, as areas of cloud and rain try to maneuver throughout the UK.

‘At current, the most definitely consequence past midweek is that rain from the west slowly strikes east, with snow doable over greater floor, and a continued threat of showers over japanese components.

‘However, there’s a probability {that a} extra energetic climate system arrives from the South West, which might carry extra widespread rain, stronger winds, and the potential for extra vital snowfall ought to the air over the UK grow to be sufficiently chilly forward of it. Either means, a continuation of colder than common situations appears most definitely.’

It comes after northern and japanese components of the UK skilled sub-zero temperatures on each Friday and Saturday night.

The coldest recorded temperature thus far this autumn was -7.7C (18.1F) in Shap, Cumbria, within the early hours of Saturday morning.