UK weather forecast: will it snow? Temperatures drop and Met Office say today will be a 'cold feeling' day

The big question on everyone's lips at the moment when it comes to the weather is 'will it snow?'. Or, perhaps those who are hoping to see a flurry of the white stuff will be asking 'when will it snow?'

The answer could be 'soon' as temperatures are predicted to drop over the weekend (November 25 and 26). This is expected to lead to frost, and then snow next week.

The Met Office has already confirmed that last night (Friday November 24) was the coldest night of the autumn so far. England, Wales and Northern Ireland all recorded their lowest Autumn 2023 temperatures.

Experts at the Met Office said that although there will be "plenty of autumnal sunshine" around today (November 25), it will be "a cold feeling day" across the UK. Tonight, there will be isolated showers along North Sea coasts, with widespread frost developing and isolated freezing fog patches. Temperatures will, however, rise in the west as cloud arrives with outbreaks of light rain.

Tomorrow, (Sunday 26 November), there will be a frosty start in the east, but cloud and rain moves eastwards through the day. It will be drier with sunny spells across Scotland, though showery rain will affect the Northern Isles. It's predicted that it will stay cold throughout the early part of next week, with frost overnight. There will be outbreaks of rain gradually easing through Monday, before some brighter skies develop on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Met Office meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said temperatures could drop to -5C or possibly -7C across northwestern England and in the South, and -4C in rural areas of Wales on Saturday morning. She said: "There will be a crisp but sunny start to the weekend for many areas and it will still be a little cloudy across the east coast. Showers will come and go across parts of Norfolk as well as northern Scotland."

When will it snow?

Snow could be falling in the UK by the end of the month, according to Met Office experts. The long range forecast for November 29 to December 8 said there will be "showery episodes with rain, sleet and possibly hill snow" across the country.

People are also being warned that "colder than average conditions" will continue. Any sleet and snow showers would be most likely to affect northern and eastern coastal districts. The forecast also predicts that there remains a chance of more widespread snow spreading up from the south during at least the first part of this period, should this occur strong winds or even gales are possible across many parts, especially the south.

Colder weather could persist throughout, say experts, however towards the end of the period there is an increasing likelihood of an upward trend in temperatures as new areas of cloud and rain attempt to move in from the Atlantic. So, if you haven't already, it's definitely time to get the big winter coat and hat, scarves and gloves out.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Harris said: "Early next week, following a brief more unsettled interlude, we expect to see a return to widely cold but quiet conditions. Some rain, or showers, are likely to affect some parts of the east coast, and these could turn increasingly wintry over higher ground areas towards the middle of the week."

He added: "It does look as though there will be a trend towards something more unsettled, as areas of cloud and rain attempt to move across the UK. At present, the most likely outcome beyond mid-week is that rain from the west slowly moves east, with snow possible over higher ground, and a continued risk of showers over eastern parts.

"However, there is a chance that a more active weather system arrives from the southwest, which would bring more widespread rain, stronger winds, and the potential for more significant snowfall should the air over the UK become sufficiently cold ahead of it."