Arctic Blast Set to Grip the UK
The United Kingdom is preparing for another severe cold snap, with new weather data indicating a significant temperature drop is just days away. According to the latest forecasts from WXCharts and Netweather, much of the country will be plunged into bitterly cold conditions, with widespread low single-digit and sub-zero temperatures expected.
Tuesday's Big Chill: A City-by-City Breakdown
The cold front is forecast to take hold on Tuesday, November 25. The most extreme conditions are predicted for the Scottish Highlands, where thermometers could read a bone-chilling -6°C. The city of Inverness, nearest to this epicentre of cold, is expected to see minimum temperatures hovering between -4°C and -5°C.
Other Scottish cities will also feel the intense freeze. Aberdeen on the northeast coast is set for temperatures around -2°C, while Dundee and Glasgow will be only slightly warmer at -1°C and 0°C respectively.
The cold will not be confined to Scotland. A large swathe of England and Wales will also experience sub-zero conditions. In Wales, the coldest readings are expected over the Snowdonia mountains (-1°C to -2°C), with towns like Bangor and Newtown facing lows of -1°C.
Across England, the chilliest areas are forecast to be the Pennines, the Midlands, and the northern interior. Sheffield is expected to shiver at around 0°C to -1°C, while Leeds and Stoke-on-Trent will hover near 1°C. Major urban centres including Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, and Derby will see slightly less severe, but still cold, conditions with temperatures between 1°C and 2°C.
Warnings and Wider Context of the Freeze
This incoming cold spell is driven by a massive band of freezing Arctic air, clearly visible as a dark blue mass on WXCharts maps. This system is poised to sweep down from the north, bringing the frigid conditions.
The Met Office has already been dealing with wintry weather. On Thursday, November 20, they confirmed that snow and ice warnings would remain in place into Friday due to a persistent cold northerly airstream.
Chief Forecaster Steve Willington issued a stark warning, stating, "We're still in the grip of a cold, Arctic air mass... that means further wintry showers for some, and ice, particularly overnight." He added that temperatures could fall as low as -12°C in rural Scotland, with a widespread frost elsewhere, leading to potential travel disruption from icy patches.
While the south, including London, and coastal areas will experience milder temperatures ranging from 7°C to 12°C, the majority of the UK population is set for a sharp and potentially hazardous taste of winter.
