18 inches of snow on way for UK as Met Office forecasts -2C temperature plunge

As we move further into November the chance of a deep freeze becomes greater with some forecasters predicting up to 18 inches of the white stuff as the whole of the UK gets hit by wintery weather.

The UK is set to wake up to as much as a foot and a half of snow in just a few days time, according to recent weather forecasts.

As we move further into November the chance of a deep freeze becomes greater with some forecasters predicting up to 18 inches of the white stuff as the whole of the UK gets hit by wintery weather.

New weather maps courtesy of WXCharts show that blizzards are set to hit on Saturday November 23, with areas in the North West of England seeing 3cm of flurries. The worst of the weather, WX Charts predicts, will be around November 23, including the Home Counties, Greater London and Scottish Highlands.

Meanwhile the Met Office has said that a northerly airflow will develop over the weekend, bringing colder Arctic air to some northern areas and with it a chance of snow across northern England and parts of Scotland as early as this weekend.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Mark Sidaway said: "In addition to increased rainfall, which could be heavy at times on Sunday, temperatures will also drop, especially for those in Scotland, as a northerly airflow develops, bringing colder Arctic air to some northern areas.

"This shift does introduce the possibility of snow, initially over high ground in the north from Sunday, with gusty winds also a potential hazard. There is a lot of uncertainty by Sunday, but there remain a number of scenarios which could bring some more widespread rain, along with some hill snow and stronger winds. Warnings for winter hazards are possible later in the weekend, so it’s important to stay up to date with the latest forecast."

The UK has spent weeks trapped under a high pressure system causing settled, warm but gloomy weather. This is set to finally shift in the next few days, bringing with it more unsettled weather from the Atlantic, the Met Office has said.

Lows of -1C are expected in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire into next week, meaning there is a chance of snow there. In the short-term, the Met Office has issued a forecast for the rest of the working week, spanning Thursday (November 14) to the weekend. It states: "Gradually turning cloudier through the week with outbreaks of rain at times, mainly in the north. Chilly overnight with fog and frost in places."