A distinctly cold spell of weather is set to affect the UK this week, with fog, frost and some wintry showers all featuring in the forecast.
Cold air will increasingly spread south across the country during the middle of the week. Northern Scotland will see the greatest chance of wintry showers, while further south, areas of cloud and rain will make for some raw and rather grey conditions at times.
By Thursday, temperatures will struggle more widely, while a strengthening northerly wind will add to the chilly feel. However, there will also be some brighter and sunnier weather, particularly inland.
Fog, frost and rain on Tuesday
Tuesday starts on a quiet but cold note for many. Fog is expected across parts of Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia and northern England, with some freezing fog possible further north. Temperatures will fall low enough overnight for frost across parts of Scotland and northern England.
Rain will provide another feature of Tuesday's weather. Persistent rain is possible towards the southwest, with some also affecting the south coast and western and southern Wales during the morning. Cloud and rain will then push north into central and southern England, Wales and the Midlands during the afternoon.
Fog may be slow to clear from parts of the Midlands and Vale of York, lifting into low cloud and leaving a murky feel. Temperatures will also struggle, with values of 11°C or 12°C in southern England.
Cold weather gathers momentum
Wednesday will see the colder air becoming increasingly established. Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England start with some frost and early fog, while a slow-moving front brings cloud and spells of rain further south.
Showers will become more frequent across northern Scotland, including Shetland, Orkney and the Outer Hebrides. Elsewhere in Scotland and Northern Ireland there should be some brighter or sunny spells as early fog clears.
Temperatures will be below average, reaching around 7°C in Scotland, 9°C in parts of Wales and perhaps 11°C in the southeast. Strong winds in northern and northeastern areas will make it feel particularly cold.
Will it snow in the UK this week?
The greatest chance of snow and other wintry precipitation comes across northern and north-eastern Scotland from Wednesday evening into Thursday.
Organised bands of showers will move south in increasingly cold air, readily turning wintry across the far north and northeast of Scotland. Shetland could also see soft hail in the showers, accompanied by strong winds.
Thursday looks like one of the coldest days of the week. After a frosty start, temperatures are likely to reach only around 4°C to 6°C in some areas, although values nearer 9°C are possible in the south.
There will be sunshine inland across parts of England and Wales, southern Scotland and eastern Northern Ireland, but showers are likely in locations exposed to the northerly wind, including parts of eastern England.
Drier by Friday, but staying cold
High pressure will begin to have more influence from the west by Friday, bringing a generally drier picture inland with some sunshine. Showers will continue around parts of Scotland and could also run through the Irish Sea, while eastern areas should become drier as showers move offshore.
It will remain cold, with daytime temperatures generally around 6°C to 9°C and a chilly start slowing any rise in temperature.
What does the weekend weather look like?
The cold theme continues as we head from Friday into Saturday, but high pressure should increasingly influence the UK's weather.
With lighter winds and clearer skies, the risk of overnight frost and fog will return. Some rain remains possible across the far north, with the broader weather pattern expected to change gradually through the weekend and into the following week.
Overall, it is shaping up to be a noticeably colder week, with northern areas most exposed to wintry showers while frost and fog become hazards more widely.
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