An icy blast from the Arctic is set to grip the UK with more snow and send temperatures plummeting in a couple of days’ time.
The latest weather maps generated by Netweather on Sunday, December 1 show -6C in the Highlands and temperatures in the low single figures for the rest of the UK by 9am on Tuesday, December 3.
WX Charts’ maps show snow will be confined to the northern half of Scotland at the same time, but by 6am on Wednesday (December 4) the white stuff will travel as far south as York.
A band of rain will make its way across the country overnight on Tuesday into Wednesday, December 4, turning to sleet and snow over higher ground, the maps show.
Met Office meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said it will turn colder as we head into the working week as low pressure to the north of Britain pushes north-eastwards towards Scandinavia, bringing northerly winds on Monday and Tuesday (December 2-3).
She added: “We then see a brief ridge of high pressure developing, settling down our weather through Monday night, but it doesn’t last long as low pressure is waiting in the wings through Tuesday and into Wednesday, bringing some milder air again so temperatures on the rise through the second half of the week.”
Showers over Scotland in the early hours of Monday will turn to sleet and snow, particularly over high ground, according to the Met Office.
The northerly winds across northern Britain will make it feel colder overnight too, with temperatures dropping into the low single figures.
Monday will start chilly, with the possibility of frost and localised ice patches in Scotland with a band of rain pushing its way south and eastwards as we head into the afternoon.
Ms Glaisyer said southern and western parts of the UK will be a little bit drier on Monday afternoon while wintry showers persist across parts of Scotland.
Temperatures will be nearer average for the time of year, with 9-10C in England and Wales and 5 or 6C in Scotland and Northern Ireland, according to the Met Office.
The Met Office’s meteorologist said: “With clear skies and northerly winds, particularly along those eastern coasts, it will be feeling really quite chilly to start the day on Tuesday. Quite a widespread frost likely, however, wet weather is waiting in the wings.”
Monday’s drop in temperature comes after Sunday saw highs of 16C. It could get as cold as -7C on Monday night, according to Met Office spokeswoman Becky Mitchell.
She said: “We have got highs of 15 or 16C on Sunday. It will be quite wet and windy though. We will have various bands of rain coming in from the west, which could be heavy at times, and also very breezy across the whole country.
“The rain will be heavy in places, but we’re not expecting any large amounts to cause any significant issues. As I say, western areas will see most of the outbreaks of rain, but there will be some dry interludes as well.”
Ms Mitchell added that temperatures on Monday could fall as low as about minus 7C in parts of rural Scotland overnight and this is likely to be the coldest night of the week.
