UK braces for 30 hours of continuous snow as temperatures plummet across the country

The UK is bracing for a 30-hour spell of "non stop" snow, with temperatures set to plummet as we delve deeper into December. Weather maps indicate a significant drop in temperature across the nation as Christmas approaches, raising the possibility of widespread snowfall.

WXCharts, utilising Met Desk data, forecasts that Scotland will bear the brunt of the snowstorm on Saturday, December 21, with the Midlands and North East England expected to follow by midday. The weather models also suggest that Manchester, parts of Wales, and the North West could be affected.

As the weather worsens, maps have turned a concerning shade of purple, with up to 10cm of snow anticipated in some regions by Sunday morning. Snow may continue into Sunday evening.

Netweather TV's team has provided insights for the last two weeks of the year, stating: "High pressure is forecast to move away to the south and west during this week, allowing an unsettled west to north-westerly type to take over for much of the week."

They added, "It may start off mild and dry in the south with high pressure still close by to the south and south-east, but from midweek onwards we can expect the more unsettled regime to extend to all parts of the country. There will be bands of rain moving south-eastwards across the country from time to time, interspersed with some brighter, showery weather.", reports the Mirror.

The Met Office said: "Temperatures will tend to fluctuate around the seasonal average, with some milder interludes, especially for the south, interspersed with colder polar maritime north-westerlies. The general trend is expected to be for it to turn colder as the week progresses, with potential for some snowfalls on high ground, especially in the north, and possibly at lower levels in central and northern parts of Britain on occasion, most likely late in the week."

Before then, temperatures are expected to rise to 14C by midweek, courtesy of a low-pressure system to the southwest of the country, bringing warmer air, but also cloud and rain. However, this mild spell is short-lived, as temperatures are set to drop significantly later in the week.