New weather maps indicate that parts of Britain could see snow towards the end of November, with wintry precipitation potentially reaching areas of Wales and England as temperatures turn colder.
The latest charts from WXCharts show a band of wintry precipitation spreading across parts of the UK, with purple shading indicating areas where snowfall could develop. The maps highlight Sunday, November 22, to Tuesday, November 24, as dates to watch, with the possibility of snow extending beyond Scotland and northern England.
Snow Forecast for Wales and Northern England
The ECMWF weather maps show a band of unsettled conditions moving southwards across Britain, with the potential for wintry weather reaching parts of Wales and North Yorkshire on Sunday, November 22. Another chart, valid for 6pm on November 23, shows wintry precipitation concentrated further north, while a map covering midnight on November 24 suggests snow could continue across parts of Scotland.
Some of the wider forecast signals have also raised the prospect of wintry weather reaching further south, although the extent and timing remain uncertain.
Understanding the Weather Maps
The maps, produced using the ECMWF high-resolution weather model, show different types of precipitation alongside cloud cover, temperature and air pressure. Purple shading represents snow, while blue, green, yellow and red indicate varying levels of rainfall.
Met Office Long-Range Outlook
The Met Office's long-range forecast for Saturday, November 14, to Monday, November 23, suggests Britain will initially experience more settled conditions as high pressure takes control. Overnight frost is expected in places, with some showers possible across northern and western Scotland and perhaps other western coastal areas.
However, conditions are expected to become more unsettled later in the weekend as weather systems move in from the North Atlantic, bringing spells of rain and stronger winds.
The Met Office said: "A transition to more unsettled conditions is expected as bands of rain, and associated areas of low pressure, arrive from the North Atlantic, bringing more widespread wet and windy weather."
"It is likely to remain fairly changeable through the remainder of the period, with occasional rain interspersed with brighter, showery spells. Whilst colder conditions will be possible at times, especially at first, it will often be mild, with temperatures near or a little above average for the time of year."
This suggests that although colder spells and overnight frost are possible, widespread snow is not currently indicated by the official long-range outlook.
