Snow could fall in part of the UK this weekend as temperatures plunge, with the Scottish Highlands set to see the first snowfall of the season on Saturday.
First snow expected in the Highlands
Met Office precipitation maps show the first snowflakes could potentially fall around 5am on Saturday between Kingussie and Grantown-on-Spey in the Highlands. The area is set for up to 4mm/hour of snow, with this continuing on and off until around midday, according to the forecaster.
The rest of Scotland will be hit by rain, with more than 4mm/hour falling in many places. The rest of the UK will be covered by light to moderate rain throughout Saturday, but this will be heavy in places.
Showers and wintry mix forecast
Giving an outlook for the UK on Saturday, the Met Office said: "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."
Aidan McGivern, Met Office meteorologist, explained a lot of showers will cover the north and west of Scotland this weekend. He said: "Frequent showers continue, in fact they intensify in the north west with the chance of hail and thunder in the northwest of Scotland for a time."
"The showers will be merging to give longer spells of rain as well through the hours of darkness [Friday night] and will be accompanied by strong winds and the risk of coastal gales around the north and west of Scotland overnight."
Chilly start expected Sunday
Saturday will start with "bright skies" in the south and east of England. Mr McGivern said: "Always a chance of a shower just about anywhere but they're most frequent towards the northern and western parts of the UK, especially northern and western Scotland, where they'll be coming in thick and fast and in some places we'll get shower after shower."
Temperatures will stay around the mid teens in the south on Saturday afternoon, and lower in the north. Showers will "slowly" ease on Saturday night, with this followed by a "chilly start" on Sunday morning, which will remain largely dry.
