The UK is bracing for a significant drop in temperatures this weekend, with a -3C low forecast for Sunday before an Arctic blast brings snow next week. After a mild autumn, wintry conditions are set to take hold, with cold air sweeping in from Greenland and the Arctic.
According to WXCharts, the colder weather is likely to persist for most of December, with snow possible daily over the coming weeks. Several inches of snow could fall across the country, raising questions about a white Christmas.
Jim Dale of British Weather Services said: "It will be the start of scraping the ice off the car. It will go from fridge to freezer which will be turned up a notch putting us in a very strong position for Christmas." He added that freezing air from Scandinavia will be a catalyst for heavy snow showers.
BBC forecaster Darren Bett noted that an easterly wind this weekend will remove fog but bring colder temperatures, feeling several degrees below the actual mercury. By next week, a northerly wind from Greenland will dominate, bringing wintry showers to Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England.
Rain and drizzle will persist across northwest Scotland, while eastern areas will see scattered showers. By Wednesday, more frequent snow showers are expected, falling to lower levels in the north, with overnight frost and a cold wind.
