Met Office: UK to Face Cold Snap This Week

The UK is set for a sudden chill as the Met Office issues a fresh forecast, warning temperatures will plunge across the country this week ^[1]. After a warm start with highs of 20.3°C in Abergwyngregyn, Gwynedd, daytime temperatures are expected to drop to just 11°C by Wednesday, with the Southeast struggling to exceed 15°C by Friday. A band of rain is forecast to move east, with thundery showers possible in the north, though snow is not expected in the immediate future.

Despite the arrival of a stratospheric polar vortex — a large-scale atmospheric pattern that can trigger colder weather — the Met Office confirms snow is highly unlikely in the short term ^[1]. The weather service attributes this to the current high-pressure system lingering over the UK, which will bring largely dry and settled conditions through late October, though with increasingly frosty mornings.

Looking ahead to Christmas, the Met Office has issued a definitive verdict: white Christmas chances remain low. While snowfall is more likely in January and February — with an average of 3.4 days of snow lying in February compared to just 3 days in December — a white Christmas is still possible, though rare ^[2]. The Met Office defines a white Christmas as a single snowflake being observed falling on 25 December, either by an official observer or automated station, to ensure consistency in climate records.

Historically, widespread snow on Christmas Day has been uncommon. Only four such events have occurred since 1960 — in 1981, 1995, 2009, and 2010 — with 2010 being the most extensive, when snow lay on the ground at 83% of UK stations ^[2]. In 2018 and 2019, no snow was recorded anywhere in the UK on Christmas Day.

The Met Office’s long-range outlook for October 17–26 predicts continued high pressure, bringing mostly fine, dry weather with only weak frontal systems possibly bringing rain to southern or northern regions ^[1]. Winds are expected to remain light, but cold mornings will likely bring frost and fog patches. The story was first reported by Mirror and Daily Star.