Weather and climate change

Headline:

Cold. Some sunshine but scattered wintry showers and freezing fog.

Today:

Wintry showers focused in northern and western areas, with possible snow cover and ice. Near coasts, rain, sleet or hail and possible thunder. Many inland central and southeastern parts sunny but isolated freezing fog patches. Light winds for many. Cold.

Tonight:

Many inland areas clear and frosty, freezing fog becoming more of problem in parts of the south. Wintry showers near northern and western coasts, with ice and snow cover possible.

Sunday:

Some sunshine for most. Wintry showers likely in coastal counties, perhaps focused in northern UK and southwest England initially, but possible snow by evening in parts of southeast England. Cold.

Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:

Remaining cold with sharp overnight frosts and some freezing fog patches, but sunny spells by day. Wintry showers continuing, mainly near coasts. Chance of snow far southeast England early Monday.

Updated: 04:00 (UTC) on Sat 10 Dec 2022

On Wednesday sleet or snow showers likely to continue in parts of the northeast, with the south possibly increasing in cloud cover. Strong winds possible in the south which would make it feel bitterly cold in places. Conditions will likely stay similar further into the period, with wintry showers for many coastal regions. Often dry and cold inland with widespread sharp frosts and patchy freezing fog. A continuation of this pattern is likely for much of this period but with a chance of more unsettled weather spreading from the southwest later. This would see spells of rain, especially in the south, but also the likelihood of snow during the transition. Feeling cold or very cold with temperatures mainly below average, perhaps increasing to nearer average later, especially in the south.

Updated: 14:00 (UTC) on Fri 9 Dec 2022

General themes remain uncertain for the rest of the period. Conditions may be widely changeable, with some spells of rain, and at times snow. These expected to be accompanied by strong winds, initially focused in southern parts, but affecting all areas at times. Colder and more settled conditions with occasional wintry showers could continue, particularly in the north. Temperatures gradually returning closer to average towards the end of December and start of January.

Updated: 15:00 (UTC) on Fri 9 Dec 2022