Following weeks of anticyclonic weather dominating the UK, with some areas not seeing rain for over 20 days, which is unusual for deep winter, changes are happening in the weather patterns which will see colder conditions prevail until the end of the month and, at times, more unsettled conditions which could bring snow in places. There are signs that it could turn very cold towards the end of next week if, as recent model guidance has indicated, high pressure starts to build to the north and northeast, which will draw bitterly cold air from NE Europe.

A colder end to the week, with some places having seen some snow

The week is ending on a colder note compared to when it started, thanks to a cold northerly flow coming down from the arctic yesterday. Wintry showers in the northerly flow yesterday brought some snowy scenes first thing across central and northeastern areas of Britain in the morning, while today, an Atlantic frontal system pushing in from the west bumping into the cold air is bringing more snow across the west this time, even to lower levels as shown by some videos on twitter of snow falling in Liverpool city centre. Snow unlikely cause any problems at lower levels, but over higher ground of northern England and the Midlands, such as the Pennines, higher routes maybe slippery from snow settling.

Chilly weekend with a wintry mix of rain, sleet and hill snow in places

The weekend is looking cold, though not especially so. England and Wales rather cloudy Saturday with a messy mix of showery bits of rain, sleet and hill snow here and there moving slowly east or southeast. Not really amounting to very much and any snow generally confined to higher ground – where it’s unlikely to cause many issues. Scotland mostly dry and bright but cold.

Sunday seeing an occluding front moving east off the Atlantic, bringing a band of rain, sleet and hill snow across Scotland and western areas of England along with Wales, bright in the east. Any snow l generally light and unlikely to cause any major problems. The front fizzling out by the time it reaches the east.

Early next week could see further snow and ice in places, as an active cold front sweeps southeast with cold polar air following.

Following Sunday’s weakening front clearing east, clearer skies from the northwest could bring a widespread frost to start the day on Monday, a brief ridge of high pressure keeping most eastern areas dry but cold during daylight. However, out the northwest, a deep depression moving off the tip of Greenland towards Iceland will push an active frontal system across the west later in the day across then further east overnight and into Tuesday before clearing SE England early Tuesday. It will turn briefly ‘milder’ ahead of this frontal system, so the front initially bring rain for most, but colder cutting in behind from the northwest sourced from a very cold Greenland and NE Canada, could turn the rain to snow on the back edge as it clears SE. So this active frontal event with back edge snow Monday night needs carefully watching. 00z ECMWF was not overly keen on back edge snow away from more northern areas, 00z and 06z GFS show back edge snow all the way to southern England.