Met Office: Mixed forecasts over chance of autumn snow across UK, will there be snowfall in London

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The UK is bracing for its first significant cold snap of autumn, with some weather forecasters predicting snowfall in parts of the country, including London.

However, the Met Office has downplayed the likelihood, calling such predictions speculative at best.

WXCharts, a platform that visualises weather models, has forecast snow in London on Thursday, November 22, at approximately 6pm, with light snowfall expected to reach 0.6cm per hour in some areas. The service also predicts snow further north, starting on November 19, with areas like Stoke, Birmingham, Manchester, and North Wales potentially seeing snowfall. Leeds, Newcastle, and the Scotland-England border are forecast to experience heavier snow later that week.

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AccuWeather, another private forecaster, supports the possibility of snowfall during this period. According to WXCharts, the cold weather may gradually move south, reaching Luton by November 21 and culminating in light snow in London the following day.

The Met Office, the UK’s national weather service, has disputed reports of widespread snow and freezing temperatures. A spokesperson for the Met Office, Stephen Dixon, said: “There is no sign of snow in the current forecast period, but there is a bit of a change on the way over the next few days.”

The UK is bracing for its first significant cold snap of autumn, with some weather forecasters predicting snowfall in parts of the country, including London.The UK is bracing for its first significant cold snap of autumn, with some weather forecasters predicting snowfall in parts of the country, including London.
The UK is bracing for its first significant cold snap of autumn, with some weather forecasters predicting snowfall in parts of the country, including London. | Getty Images

Dixon added that the forecast shows “chillier conditions” arriving early next week but dismissed the idea of an arctic blast bringing heavy snowfall. “The current cloudy conditions with patchy bits of drizzle will break up early next week to bring some sunny skies for much of the UK on Monday,” he said. “This will bring in some chillier conditions, but many will likely enjoy the reemergence of the sun after a somewhat gloomy start to November.”

According to the Met Office, while unsettled weather is possible in northwestern parts of the UK during the second half of November, the likelihood of snow remains low. Temperatures are expected to stay around average for the time of year, with cooler periods possible.

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Dixon explained the uncertainty in forecasting snow based on singular weather models like those used by WXCharts: “A one-off weather model is not a forecast. Organisations like the Met Office run hundreds of weather models to predict future patterns.”

Reports of heavy snow, including claims of up to 30cm of accumulation and temperatures as low as -6°C by November 20, have added to public speculation. However, experts stress that long-range forecasts should be treated with caution. While WXCharts and similar platforms visualise potential outcomes based on specific models, the Met Office said comprehensive forecasts require multiple model runs to ensure accuracy.

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