UK households have been advised by British Gas to gather six essential items into an emergency kit before the country experiences snow over winter. The utility company's advice comes as the Met Office forecast a possible "sprinkling of snow" in parts of the UK this weekend.
Met Office Forecast and British Gas Advice
The Met Office forecast stated: "Showers will move through widely during the day, with northern parts of the UK likely to see the most frequent and intense downpours. Scotland will be particularly prone to heavy showers, with a risk of hail and thunder. There could even be a temporary sprinkling of snow over the highest ground, adding a wintry flavour to the autumn weather."
Ahead of potential snow, British Gas urged households to keep sleeping bags, blankets, warm coats, three days of food, medicines, and drinking water. "While it's unlikely that a heavy snowfall will leave you without any heating, it's always worth keeping sleeping bags, blankets and warm coats handy," British Gas said, as reported by Birmingham Live.
Emergency Kit Essentials and Temperature Drop
The supplier also recommended making an emergency kit, adding: "It's a good habit to have at least three days' worth of food and essentials stored in an easy-to-reach part of your home. That's things like medicines, drinking water, non-perishable food and snacks, and extra blankets. You should also keep a torch, batteries and a phone charger close by too."
Temperatures in Greater Manchester are forecast to plunge as low as 6C over the coming week, the Met Office said, with possible "frost" also expected in parts of the country. Over the next few days, the UK is set to see a "smorgasbord" of weather types, according to the Met Office, ranging from "relatively balmy" to "relatively cool". The weather agency stressed this is typical for autumn.
"The next few days will bring a smorgasbord of weather types, with swings from relatively balmy conditions to relatively cool," a Met Office spokesperson said. They continued: "All typical of the variability we can expect with autumnal weather."
Long-Range Forecast and Outlook
Met Office weather maps show temperatures in Greater Manchester dropping as low as 6C next week, with the coldest conditions expected in the early hours of Saturday, October 17. The long-range forecast for the UK, covering October 14 to 23, says conditions could be "potentially quite warm" in parts of the country.
"Remaining changeable through this period, as a series of low pressure systems run across the North Atlantic, often to the north and northwest of the UK, bringing occasional bands of rain and strong winds, but interspersed with brighter and more showery conditions," the Met Office long-range forecast reads. It continues: "Rain will be most prevalent across hills in the west and especially northwest, where above average rainfall is likely through this period. Longer drier interludes are more favoured in sheltered southern and eastern parts, but even here it is likely to be wetter than during recent weeks. Whilst brief cooler interludes are possible, temperatures are likely to be a little above average in many areas for the period as a whole, and potentially quite warm in parts of the southeast at times."
