What the Met Office says about the chances of snow as Hurricane Kirk brings cold weather and heavy rain

The hurricane might be thousands of miles away at the moment but it will affect our weather in the UK next week

Hurricane Kirk is thousands of miles away from the UK at the moment, but as it moves north, it could have an influence on our weather later next week. BBC Weather said on Friday that it is too soon to know if it will cross parts of the UK or stay further south, but there is likely to be a drop in temperature next week.

BBC Wales forecaster Derek Brockway says that the hurricane will track toward the UK later next week as it passes over cooler seas. He points out that the most recent models are showing deep area of low pressure across southern and eastern England later next Wednesday and Thursday.

There have been reports of snow, but the Met Office long-range forecast predicts that it will be restricted to the Scottish mountains.

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The long range UK forecast from the Met Office for Tuesday, October 8, to Thursday, October, says: "The forecast period looks most likely to be mostly unsettled, with frequent bouts of wind and rain associated with areas of low pressure. Frequent showers, especially over southern areas, at first, will probably (but not definitely, at this range) give way to more widespread rain and strong winds associated with the remnants of Hurricane Kirk later in the week..

Taking about it turning colder, it says: "Scotland and Northern Ireland are more likely to quickly turn colder with showers, and the colder weather (perhaps some sleet/snow on Scottish mountains) will most likely gradually work its way south following the clearance of ex-Kirk. A more settled interlude is then possible, but further spells of wind and rain, again with a focus across southern areas, are likely to arrive from the west towards the end of the period."

The BBC Weather long range says that from mid-next week or so colder conditions could affect at least northern areas of the UK, associated with a re-establishing high pressure pattern near Greenland sending colder air of Arctic origin southwards along its eastern flank.

The forecast adds: "On the other side an ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirk could stir things up a bit. Nevertheless, a strong wind event is possible towards the next weekend, when an intense cyclogenesis takes place and moves eastwards over the UK. Behind it colder air could eventually sink further south."