Will there be snow this weekend? The Met Office gives its verdict

Brits could be set to see snow this weekend as the Met Office predicts an Arctic freeze is on the horizon.

Certain parts of the United Kingdom could see snow as early as this Sunday.

Wind, rain and hill snow are expected this weekend, with a band of wintry showers set to soak coastal parts of the country.

Light snow is expected in some areas, most likely in the North, while the South is set to see wider patches of rain.

Met Office forecaster Alex Deakins said: ‘It is only really across Scotland.

‘Obviously, it wouldn’t take much of a swing and for that air to be a bit colder for snow to be seen at lower levels, but at this stage it looks like it is just going to be snow on the hills in Scotland.

‘Cold air will be flooding its way south over Saturday night. By the time we get to the early hours of Sunday morning, much of Scotland will be covered in freezing levels where ground is only at 400m.’

Deputy Chief Meteorologist Mark Sidaway said that Brits can expect ‘unsettled weather’ heading into next week.

When is it going to snow?

Mr Sidaway believes that Sunday, November 17 could be the first day of snow.

He said: ‘The high pressure that has been responsible for the mainly dry weather through much of this week will retrogress into the Atlantic as we get towards the weekend.

‘This will gradually introduce more unsettled weather, initially in the north from Friday but more widely from Sunday.

‘In addition to this increased rainfall, which could be heavy at times on Sunday, temperatures will also drop, especially for those in Scotland, as a northerly airflow develops, bringing colder Arctic air to some northern areas.

‘This shift does introduce the possibility of snow, initially over high ground in the north from Sunday, with gusty winds also a potential hazard.

‘There is a lot of uncertainty by Sunday, but there remain a number of scenarios which could bring some more widespread rain, along with some hill snow and stronger winds.’

The North-west is set to remain grey for the rest of the day, with other parts of the country enjoying some bright and sunny spells.

Tonight will see drizzle in northern areas, while the rest of the country are likely to see clear spells.

The north-west could see heavy rain and wind moving into Friday, however.

How does the Met Office work out whether it is going to snow or not?

Forecasting impactful snow is famously tricky in the UK and there are a number of factors that Met Office meteorologists look for. These include:

• Where the air has come from: If air has come from a warmer area, or has spent a long time over warm seas, then it would be harder to generate snow. If it’s coming from a cold region, often the north, then there’s a chance of snow being a possibility.  
• Very heavy precipitation: Most precipitation in the clouds starts off as snow or supercooled raindrops. This often melts before it comes to ground. However, in winter, intense precipitation can keep temperatures lower closer to the ground, increasing the chance of heavy rainfall turning into snow.  
• When warm air meets cold air: Presenters often talk about weather fronts between warm and cold air. In the winter, these fronts can introduce the moisture and conditions for snow to fall. There’s often a fine line between who see snow and who see rain, which is one of the reasons forecasting snow can be difficult.  

Because of these competing elements, accurately forecasting a specific snow event more than a few days in advance is a tricky task.

While it’s hard to forecast snow accurately more than a few days ahead, there are indicators that our meteorologists look out for to understand the chances and uncertainties.

When do we know if it will snow at Christmas?

A definitive forecast for Christmas won’t be available until much closer to the time, according to the Met Office.

A white Christmas in the UK simply needs one weather station to report snow falling on Christmas Day, which has been the case for the last three years, though not very widespread.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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