The UK is bracing for a sharp and unpleasant return to wintry conditions this week, with fresh rainfall maps intimating a dramatic plunge in temperatures.
An incoming Arctic blast is anticipated to drag the mercury down to around –9C, marking the first truly severe cold snap of the season. Indeed, more surprisingly, snow showers may drift as far south as Plymouth, a commodity infrequently seen this early in November.
After a mild and rather gentle launch to the month, many woke up on Monday to a smell. Temperatures floated around 1 °C, and early Tuesday dipped to –1C in places.
foretellers say that was just the morning, with the rearmost maps suggesting the snap will strain its grip across the country in the coming days.
Snow Risk Widens as UK Cold Snap Deepens
WXCharts, which uses MetDesk data to track developing weather systems, is monitoring a band of snow set to form over Scotland from Thursday, 20 November.
According to the maps, heavy bursts, potentially around 5cm per hour, could fall through Thursday evening. While Glasgow may escape the heaviest snowfall, other areas look likely to witness proper wintry rainfall.
The snow is anticipated to sink gradually southwards, brushing along the west seacoast and later reaching the corridor of the Midlands, including areas around Lancaster and the Yorkshire Dales.
Wales, particularly the north near Snowdonia, may also see snowflakes; however, much of it may be too light or transitory to settle. Indeed so, some of these scattered showers could travel all the way down to Plymouth, mixing with rain as they fall.
Freezing Temperatures to Fall Towards –9C in the North
Scotland will take the mass of the bitter bite, with the Highlands cast to dip towards the –8C to –9C range. Exposed areas similar to the Cairngorms are anticipated to face the harshest conditions.
While these spots are remote, the inflexibility of the snap there reflects a wider pattern spreading across the UK.
An Arctic blast is sweeping into the UK, bringing plummeting temperatures (potentially down to −10°C), snow, and ice warnings across large swathes of the country.
More than 15 million people are under an amber cold-health alert, especially those aged 65+ or with existing… pic.twitter.com/rtAZYqshgb
— TOP X News (@TOPXNews) November 19, 2025
Northern England could see lows of –6C to –5C, while the south isn’t escaping the cold either, sitting close to freezing between 0C and –1C.
The combination of indurating temperatures, wintry showers, and icy winds is shaping up to produce the most significant spell of downtime, similar to the rainfall we’ve seen so far this year.
Met Office Forecast Signals More Wintry Weather Ahead
Looking ahead, the Met Office suggests that this unsettled pattern isn’t going anywhere presto. Its long-range UK read points to further chilly, changeable conditions right through the end of the month.
It states: “Atlantic weather fronts will continue to spread east, bringing spells of rain or showers, potentially quite widely.”
It goes on to add: “Over subsequent days, showery conditions will likely continue, but there will be some brighter spells at times.
There is also a chance of Atlantic frontal systems moving in from the west at times and temporary periods of northerly flow that may lead to some wintry showers.
Temperatures will be a little below normal. A westerly dominated pattern will likely persist through to the end of November with outbreaks of rain or showers and temperatures near to or a little below normal.
There could, however, still be some wintry showers at times in the north. Areas of low pressure may bring longer spells of rain and periods of strong winds at times.”
Early Taste of Winter as UK Faces Prolonged Cold Spell
With winter still officially weeks away, this early Arctic freeze is a clear sign that the UK’s settled, mild start to November is well behind us.
Now the question is how far south the snow will manage to push, and for how long the country will have to endure these freezing, unsettled conditions.
As effects stand, all signs suggest a long, cold run-up to downtime, with further snow pitfalls, frosty mornings, and below-average temperatures on the cards.
