This week has seen flooding in northern parts of the UK and unseasonably warm weather in the south. This warmer spell is set to continue over the start of this week but the weekend will bring a big drop in temperatures.
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Unfortunately, this month’s Indian summer is coming to an end after the UK recorded its hottest October in 5 years. Temperatures hit 26C in Kent on Monday 9 October, while the country saw three consecutive days of mercury tipping 25C for the first time in 12 years. This weekend will see a massive shift as temperatures will drop to single digits.
Snow could hit UK this weekend
Maps from WX Charts show that the UK could see its first dusting of snow this weekend. The maps predict that northern parts of Scotland may have snow on Saturday, with the chances of this happening decreasing again over the course of the following week.
A Met Office spokeswoman told The Mirror:
The warmer weather is coming to an end for most of us. While unsettled conditions continue for much of this week, with warmer conditions hanging on in the south of the UK, we will see colder air pushing down across the country bringing a cold weekend for many.
Indeed, these predictions come amid speculation that the weather phenomenon El Niño will peak around December as forecasters predict we can expect lots of snow this winter.
The UK’s weather this winter
The Met Office spokeswoman continued:
By the weekend we expect all regions of the UK to be in the cold airmass and overnight frosts are possible in the north. Temperatures in the south east expected to be in the mid to high teens both Saturday and Sunday.
Professor Adam Scaife, the Met Office’s head of long-range prediction, told EuroNews:
El Niño years have a tendency to have a mild wet and westerly start to winter (November to December) and a colder, drier end to winter (January to March) across most of northern Europe.
The skiing website On The Snow seems hopeful that this winter is ‘looking very promising for skiers’ while researchers at the Priestley Centre for Climate Forecasters at Leeds University say we can expect dry and frosty weather this winter:
During El Niño winters... the largest effect is observed in northern Europe... where winters become drier and colder. A frosty 2023-24 winter season is likely if El Niño ramps up sufficiently by then.
So, it seems snow is on the way - prepare yourselves for a white winter!
Read more:
⋙ Here's why you should change your sleep schedule during the winter
⋙ Is cold weather the reason you’re catching a cold?
⋙ Winter vagina: How the cold weather can affect your genitalia
Sources used:
Mirror: Map shows exact date snow will hit UK as October 'Indian Summer' comes to an end
