Snow could be on the way for parts of the UK later this month as temperatures are set to tumble following a spell of mild autumn weather. New weather maps have predicted that a blast of Arctic air could bring the first wintry showers of the season, with some areas likely to see freezing rain or even snow as November draws to a close.
According to new projections by the weather visualisations website, WXCharts, generated on November 8, parts of the UK could be set to wake up to 20cm of snow in the early hours of Saturday, November 22, and even higher depths by midday in parts of northern England and Wales, the Irish border and Scotland. In its “Winter Overview” map, WXCharts reveals that as far south as Manchester, the UK could see 1-2cm of snow before a large rain bomb ensues, while in Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, depths could be even higher. Incredibly, before the winter months even ensue, the Scottish Highlands could be set to see snow depths well into the double figures.
According to WXChart’s Winter Overview map, areas west of Inverness could see as much as 20cm/hr of snow, while large sections of the UK’s most northern nation are predicted to face freezing rain (FrzR) – rain that falls as liquid but freezes on contact with surfaces that are below 0C, forming a layer of ice.
Parts of north Wales, particularly near Snowdonia, could also see several centimetres of snow by midnight on November 22, as well as parts of Northern Ireland that lie near the border with the Republic of Ireland.
A second weather map, also run on November 8, predicting snow depth for November 22, shows that the Scottish Highlands could very well be hidden beneath as much as 30-40cm of snow by midday, with slightly lower depths of 16cm near Inverness. Even settlements as far south as Edinburgh could still see up to 5cm of snow on the ground, dropping to just 1cm near the English border.
These new weather predictions come as other WXCharts maps suggest that large parts of the West Country – the counties of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall – are expected to see temperatures drop to a maximum of 5C and may even see several centimetres of snow on Thursday, November 19.
It should be noted, however, that the Met Office’s long-range forecast for November 22 through to December 6 does not predict such high levels of snow in low-ground areas for this period. The agency’s forecasts for 5 days and beyond are written on the scale of the UK as a whole because it becomes harder to offer local detail to as high a level of accuracy as shorter-range forecasts, thanks to small events in the Atlantic having potentially significant impacts on our weather in the UK.
The long-range forecast for this period currently reads: “Whilst the expected weather patterns during late November are highly uncertain, there is a greater chance of spells of high pressure during this period, bringing more in the way of dry weather compared to the current weather pattern, which also increases the chances of overnight fog and frost.
“There will probably still be some spells of rain, showers, and stronger winds though, especially in the west. Hill snow is also a possibility, mainly in the north. Overall, near or slightly above average temperatures are most likely, though some colder spells are also possible, especially should any prolonged settled spells develop.”
