New long-range forecasts predict temperatures could plummet with wintry showers to follow, as models suggest the potential for a White Christmas with snow from Scotland down to the Home Counties
Fresh predictions suggest the New Year could arrive with a carpet of snow, as the latest long-range Met Office forecast indicates temperatures may begin to drop dramatically, followed swiftly by wintry downpours.
Although the opening fortnight of December has been drenched, mild and remarkably turbulent, the Christmas season appears poised to transform everything with a fresh weather pattern dragging frigid air southward from the Arctic, ensuring Christmas feels exceptionally chilly.
Its forecast stated: “There are signs that conditions may become less disturbed heading towards the Christmas period, with the potential for high pressure to build bringing drier conditions, with the risk of overnight frost and fog patches increasing.”
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The most recent projections from WXCharts have even suggested the possibility of a White Christmas, with bands of wintry precipitation rolling across Britain, showing snow flurries stretching from Scotland right down to the Home Counties.
Yet examining the timeframe from December 27 through to January 10, the Met Office indicates high pressure is expected to settle over Britain – putting an end to the chaotic weather patterns, reports the Express.
Whilst this could signal characteristically drier spells, the likelihood of icy winds and scattered showers persists, establishing ideal circumstances for snowfall – particularly across elevated terrain in northern England and Scotland.
The organisation forecasted: “High pressure will probably become more influential across the UK during this period.
“This means an increasing incidence of dry weather compared to the winter so far. Spells of rain and strong winds remain possible, these most likely in the north with a risk of some snow at times. Temperatures are expected to be close to normal overall.”
However, the weather experts issued a stark warning about the unpredictable nature of meteorological systems in their extended outlook.
It cautioned: “When looking at forecasts beyond five days into the future, the chaotic nature of the atmosphere starts to come into play.
“Small events currently over the Atlantic can have potentially significant impacts on our weather in the UK in several days’ time.
“Therefore, whilst we can still forecast the general feel of the weather to a relatively high level of accuracy using our ensemble models, it becomes harder to offer local detail to as high a level of accuracy as our shorter range forecasts.”
