Met Office speaks out over snow forecast and -2C Polar vortex reports
The Met Office has spoken out amid claims snow could be set to hit the UK next week. Forecasters have spoken out after reports cited WX Charts weather maps and charts, showing the UK turning an icy blue hue in early October, with flurries expected.
Scotland was forecast to be hit - from the Highlands to Aberdeen and Inverness, as well as the Lake District in England. But any reports of a "Polar vortex" have been refuted by the forecasting agency and meteorological experts on Friday September 27.
“This doesn’t tally with our forecast,” a spokesman told Yahoo News when approached for comment today. “We will be having a colder feed of air coming into the UK from the weekend, but no suggestion of snow. That image is really misleading.
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“We may have some frosts to lower latitudes in the UK, and snow on the highest mountains in Scotland, but we aren’t forecasting snow to lower levels.” In a October 2 to October 11 forecast, the Met Office said: "Possibly some rain in the far southeast at first, but high pressure is likely to become more dominant during the midweek period, with more widely drier and brighter conditions and just a few isolated showers.
"However, this may be a relatively short-lived quieter interlude as low pressure over the Atlantic becomes increasingly influential later in the week and beyond, although the timing of this transition is uncertain. Either way, a trend towards more unsettled conditions with rain or showers, and possibly strong winds at times, is likely later in the week and into next weekend.
"Temperatures probably near or below-average at first, recovering to above-average for a time by next weekend, but then likely trending below-average for the following week." A October 11 to 25 forecast adds: "A rather unsettled pattern is most likely early in this period with further spells of rain and strong winds but also some drier weather at times.
"The chance of more settled weather increases during the second half the month with longer periods of dry weather developing with increasing amounts of fog and frost at night. However, confidence is low and there remains a chance that wetter, more unsettled conditions could continue.
"Temperatures are most likely to be close to or slightly below normal."