UK faces -12C snow with 'seven inches' falling in worst-hit area

New maps show snow the length of the UK - as a minus 12C deep freeze sends the UK shivering. Ahead of December and Christmas, the UK could be braced for sub-zero conditions, if the maps and charts from WX Charts are anything to go by.

The downturn in conditions will begin November 20, and central England, Wales, and parts of the South West could experience nights as cold as -3. Snow is expected on the evening of November 20 and is set to venture south of the Scottish border for the first time this year.

Some areas could see accumulations of up to 20cm - or seven inches. To arrive at its forecasts, the Met Office runs hundreds of models multiple times, generating a more accurate picture of how the weather is likely to develop.

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“It’s the job of meteorological experts to capture the nuance between what different charts and models are suggesting, and then to create a forecast that demonstrates the most likely outcome as well as any uncertainties and intricacies,” the forecaster said.

Rob Thompson is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in Meteorology at the University of Reading, said: “The UK is located right where a number of different global weather systems converge. Unlike many places in the world, freezing weather in Britain is generally accompanied by northerly or easterly winds. But heavy precipitation (liquid or frozen water) is usually from the west. Colder weather in the UK makes precipitation less likely.

“Which is why if we see snow, it often arrives as a light shower or flurry. Thick snow usually happens when precipitation from the west hits cold air from the east or north.” Exacta Weather's James Madden explains: "The weather wants to be kind and mild to warm until around mid-November on my projections, with the worst of conditions coming from some expected fog and developing frosts from cold overnight conditions at times during these types of developments."

"However, we should still expect those bigger changes to some further stormy and even wintry conditions at times during the second half of November, possibly a little earlier, and as it has always been covered in what will be our 125+ days in advance forecast for this exact period."