Britain is preparing for an early onset of winter as recent weather data indicates significant snowfall in one region as early as next week. Advanced weather maps from WXCharts project snowfall starting on Saturday, October 25, primarily in northern Scotland, with areas like Inverness, the Highlands, and parts of the Cairngorms expected to experience continuous snowfall, averaging around 2.5cm per hour.
The most intense snow showers are anticipated in the Scottish Highlands and Sutherland, where snowfall rates could reach up to 5cm per hour, and even up to 7cm per hour in coastal areas. This upcoming snowfall could mark the season’s first substantial snow event, coinciding with decreasing temperatures and the southward push of Arctic air.
The Met Office has cautioned that the UK is moving into a transition period towards more unsettled weather by the end of October, with pressure systems shifting eastward. According to the Met Office’s long-range forecast from October 19 to October 28, the country should expect a shift to more unpredictable weather patterns, including increased chances of rain, strong winds, and alternating periods of wet and dry weather.
BBC Weather forecasts a wetter and windier period from October 20 to October 26, with a shift from high-pressure conditions to a more active flow from the Atlantic. This change will bring bouts of rain, occasionally heavy, along with strong winds. While initially, the heavier rain may affect the southern UK, it is expected to move northwards later in the week. As high pressure develops over western Europe and extends northwards to the UK, drier conditions may prevail over the weekend. Overall, temperatures are likely to remain close to the seasonal average during this period.