Temperatures are set to drop over the next few weeks with snow expected in parts of the country. After an unseasonably warm autumn, cold weather is finally expected to brace the country and a shift in the jet stream brings with it icy conditions.
So much so, that some parts of the UK - and Wales - can soon expect to see a flurry of the white stuff. Some weather charts are forecasting up to 2cm of snow within the next few weeks. The cold but dry weather will be a welcome change from the heavy rainfall and strong winds that have braced the country over the last few weeks.
Last week, Wales was met with three weather warnings for heavy rain, wind and thunderstorms. However, drier and more crisp weather is expected as winter draws in.
Read more: Tropical Storm Nicole will bring stormy weather to the UK next week
Reports of snow forecast
British Weather Services' senior meteorologist Jim Dale said around 1cm of snow is expected between Manchester and Birmingham, increasing to at least 2cm further north - and he said there could be snow in rural and higher land in northern Wales, reports The Mirror.
Mr Dale said: "There will be some limited snow in the northwest highlands by November 17 and in the northern Pennines. It will be just a dusting for now, but a growing threat for Scotland on November 19 and 20. It will be colder for all, though, within that period."
He added: "This will be caused by the movement south of the jet stream - pulling in moderated polar air from Greenland and Iceland way."
The Met Office view on whether it will snow
However the Met Office forecast differs slightly and says conditions around November 17, 18 and 19 are likely to remain unsettled with further outbreaks of rain and showers, especially in the west, where winds could be strong at times.
In the latest 10-day trend, Met Office forecaster Alex Deakin says “For many, the second half of the week looks a lot drier than the first half of the week, but the winds coming up from the southwest bringing mild air as well as some strong gusts, especially over parts of northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
“The main focus will be the temperatures overnight. Temperatures of 13 or 14 Celsius Thursday and into Friday, bring the potential for some records to be broken in Northern Ireland and Scotland."
But there will be a change at the start of the week. Alex added: "Over the coming days tropical air will be brought northwards over eastern USA and Canada by Tropical Storm Nicole. This tropical air will meet the very cold air currently bringing wintry weather to the Midwest, and the knock-on effects is a very active jet stream that will bring a new theme next week, though the details are still uncertain.
"A strong jet stream often leads to an unsettled, usually wet and windy theme with low pressures approaching the UK. These low pressures have the potential to become quite volatile bringing some very windy weather to the UK throughout next week so it’s important to keep up to date with the forecast over the coming days."
The long-range Met Office forecast for Wales
Tuesday, November 15 - Thursday, November 24
"On Tuesday, cloud is expected to be widespread, with outbreaks of rain most likely in western areas, possibly moving erratically northeastwards. Into the middle of the period, one or more deep low-pressure systems are likely to develop to the west of the UK.
"Conditions are likely to remain unsettled with further outbreaks of rain and showers, especially in the west, where winds could be strong at times. Eastern parts of the UK are likely to remain the driest, although could still experience intermittent rainfall. Moving further into November, high pressure may become more influential, bringing longer spells of dry and settled weather, with lighter winds. Temperatures are likely to remain around average for the period, perhaps slightly above."
Friday, November 25 - Friday, 9 December
"On Tuesday, cloud is expected to be widespread, with outbreaks of rain most likely in western areas, possibly moving erratically northeastwards. Into the middle of the period, one or more deep low-pressure systems are likely to develop to the west of the UK.
"Conditions are likely to remain unsettled with further outbreaks of rain and showers, especially in the west, where winds could be strong at times. Eastern parts of the UK are likely to remain the driest, although could still experience intermittent rainfall. Moving further into November, high pressure may become more influential, bringing longer spells of dry and settled weather, with lighter winds. Temperatures are likely to remain around average for the period, perhaps slightly above."
Read next:
