New weather maps show large parts of the country being susceptible to snow this week, as the Met Office issues UK warnings for wintery conditions.
Large swathes of the UK could be sprinkled in snow this week (Image: Getty)
The Met Office has warned that freezing temperatures seen across the country are likely to turn into snow and ice in the coming days. The agency said that the country is likely to see a transition to more unsettled and wintry conditions into the New Year, as it issued snow and ice warnings for northern Scotland.
It warned that Tuesday will be mostly dry with patchy cloud and sunny spells, though there may be a few showers in eastern coastal counties. Later, cloud will thicken in northern Scotland, with patchy rain and strengthening winds. It predicts that whilst things will look largely settled for many on New Year’s Eve, the weather will turn windy with showers in Scotland.
Snow could cover large parts of the North West and Midlands on Friday (Image: WXCharts.com)
Conditions then turn colder at the turn of the year.
Throughout Thursday, showers will increasingly turn to snow in northern Scotland, and a strong, perhaps gale force northerly wind will also set in. A yellow national severe weather warning for snow and ice has been issued, with some significant accumulations possible by Friday morning.
It comes as weather maps produced by WXCharts.com show that several areas across England and Wales are likely to see some outbreaks of snow, with the North West and the Midlands potentially seeing snow on Friday.
According to the online forecaster, there is potential for snow to stretch as far south as London, with Norfolk and Somerset, also in line for wintery conditions.
Snow could extend as far south as London (Image: WXCharts.com)
The Met Office often warns about the difficulty in predicting snow more than a few days in advance.
It said: “In many temperate countries such as the UK, a small amount of snow can cause all sorts of disruption.
“But it can also be very challenging to predict. There are lots of factors involved in determining whether rain or snow will be falling from the sky, such as elevation, distance from the coast and precipitation intensity as explained in this animation.”
Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Mark Sidaway said: “It certainly looks like we are in for a taste of ‘winter’ as we welcome in the New Year, initially in the north, but more widely across the UK for the first week of 2026.
“Arctic air and strong northerly winds will bring cold or very cold conditions to all parts of the UK, and it will feel especially cold in the strong winds. Widespread and locally severe frosts are expected, along with the first snow of the winter for many.
“A yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued for northern Scotland on New Year’s Day and beyond, where frequent and heavy snow showers may lead to some travel disruption.
“These colder conditions and wintry hazards – snow, ice and strong winds – will develop more widely as we enter the New Year, with more warnings for snow and ice likely. It looks like this cold spell will last through at least the first week of January, so it’s important people keep up to date with the latest forecast and warnings.”
Full list of areas:
Scotland:
1. Shetland
2. Orkney
3. Caithness
4. Sutherland
5. Ross and Cromarty
6. Inverness-shire
7. Nairnshire
8. Moray (Elginshire)
9. Banffshire
10.Aberdeenshire
11. Kincardineshire (The Mearns)
12. Angus (Forfarshire)
13. Perthshire
England:
14. Chesire
15. Derbyshire
16. Staffordshire
17. Worcestershire
18. Warwickshire
19. Herefordshire
20. Greater London
21. Norfolk
22. Gloucestershire
23. Somerset
Wales
24. Anglesey
25. Caernarfonshire
26. Merionethshire
27. Denbighshire
28. Flintshire
29. Pembrokeshire
30. Carmarthenshire
31. Brecknockshire (Breconshire)
32. Glamorgan
33. Monmouthshire
