A spell of wintry rainfall looks set to sweep across the UK in the week leading up to Christmas, with new snow maps suggesting that a corridor of the country may wake up to a fresh covering of snow as downtime tightens its grip.
Forecast maps from WXCHARTS, using data from MetDesk, are pointing towards a notable cold snap between 17 and 19 December, bringing the eventuality of snowfall, icy conditions and a sharp drop in temperatures.
For many across the UK, this could be the first proper downtime rainfall event of the season.
Scotland is likely to see the worst of the snowfall
The rearmost protrusions show Scotland bearing the mass of the colder spell, with snow anticipated from Cape Wrath in the far north down to the corridor of West Dumbartonshire.
The snow threat appears strongest across northern and high-ground areas, where conditions could turn wintry fairly snappily as colder air pushes in.
Northern England is also anticipated to see a light dusting, with areas similar as Manchester, Stoke- on- Trent, and Birmingham potentially passing snowfall of around 1 mm per hour.
While light, it’s enough to bring a gleeful sense, and conceivably many slippery pavements for commuters.
Temperatures set to tumble in winter freeze
Temperatures are expected to dip significantly across the UK during this period, with the Scottish Highlands potentially plunging to -9 °C on 19 December. This would make it one of the coldest nights of the downtime so far.
Further south, the utmost of England will be slightly milder, but the North West may still witness lows of around -4 °C, signifying a conspicuous shift towards further wintry and Arctic- suchlike conditions.
With colder air moving in, the threat of frost, icy patches and localised dislocation on the roads will increase, especially overnight and during early mornings.
Met Office long-range forecast
Although the Met Office has not yet released its sanctioned forecast for the Christmas period itself, it does admit the eventuality for unsettled and colder conditions arising in the days beforehand.
For 10 to 19 December, its current long-range outlook says: “A short spell of mainly settled weather is expected for the first couple of days of this period, with any rain or showers in the far north or west, and the rest of the UK mainly dry.
Thereafter, low-pressure systems will tend to dominate, bringing showers or longer spells of rain to much of the UK. Some heavy rain or showers are expected, with the wettest conditions overall in the west of the UK.
Snow will probably be confined to high ground in the north. Periods of strong wind are possible, especially around coasts and if any deep areas of low pressure form in the vicinity of the UK. Temperatures will likely be close to average or slightly above.”
While the cast mentions snow, it focuses substantially on advanced ground for now. Still, with colder air sliding in from the north, conditions may change snappily.
Will the UK see a white Christmas?
At this stage, any talk of a white Christmas should be taken with a pinch of swab. Long- range vaticinations can shift, and although early snow maps hint at a wintry lead-up to Christmas, it’s still too soon for meteorologists to give a establishment verdict.
That said, the signs are promising for those hoping for a more traditional, gleeful scene, with colder air formerly lining up and downtime storms possible later in the month.
For now, the crucial communication is that the UK is heading towards a colder and further unsettled spell, with numerous areas likely to feel a real change as Christmas approaches.
