Met Office issues verdict on snow forecast for London and the UK

A view of the O2 arena on the Greenwich peninsula in south east London
-Credit: (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)


The Met Office has indicated we're in for a chill with clearer skies cooling off the UK this week. However, while snow is possible in the Scottish Highlands, those in London and elsewhere in the South shouldn't hold their breath just yet.

After a gloomier spell that brought unseasonably warm temperatures, we'll be heading back to more typical November highs of 8C up in Scotland and 11C down south.

Get ready for some frosty nights ahead, especially in north Wales, northern regions, and Scotland on Tuesday night. As the weekend approaches, things are set to get even nippier with northerly winds expected to bring an extra chill factor from Saturday.

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Snow can be expected to grace the Scottish Highlands from early next week, but don't hold your breath for southern snowfall; it's a "very, very low probability" Met Office meteorologist Zoe Hutin said.

A fallow deer buck
Lower temperatures are expected this week after a warmer than average early November -Credit:PA Wire/PA Images

She explained: "It is getting chillier, certainly in the overnight periods, but also by day as well.

“It’s thanks to the clearer sky – I’m sure we’re all grateful for a little bit of sunshine today – and also the northerly wind is pushing slightly cold air across the British Isles.

“There is a chance of seeing some snow from the weekend onwards, but nowhere that we wouldn’t expect to see at this time of year.

“I don’t think we’ll be seeing snow in London, it’s not entirely out of the question, (but) there’s a very, very low probability, just like there always is.

“I think it’s pretty confident to say that it’s unlikely to see snow in the south of England.”

According to the experts, the persistent cloud cover has resulted in minimal temperature fluctuations between day and night over the past fortnight. The stagnant high-pressure system has prevented any significant weather changes, leading to a prolonged period of dull and chilly conditions, rather than outright cold temperatures.

This phenomenon, referred to as "anticyclonic gloom" by forecasters, has severely limited sunshine, with the UK averaging only three hours of sunlight during the entire seven-day period up to last Thursday.