UK MET OFFICE REPORT RE: United Kingdom only. Irish update from TMT here.
We have had a very mild start to 2013 but Met Office forecasters are predicting that it will turn colder over the next few days.
Whilst temperatures are set to be much lower than the last week or so, there is a lot of uncertainty about how long the cold weather will stay with us and exactly which areas of the UK will see snow.
The reason for the cold weather is that an area of high pressure develops over Scandinavia, allowing cold air from the Baltic and western Russia to move towards the UK. At the same time milder air and Atlantic weather systems are trying to push in from the west, leaving the UK as the battle ground where they meet.
By the weekend daytime temperatures are likely to be in single figures with overnight lows falling below freezing, giving widespread frost and icy stretches. An area of low pressure on Saturday is expected to push some rain towards the west of the UK and as it hits the cold air it could fall as snow; some significant amounts are possible across hills. Sunday looks much drier and brighter. The east of the country, meanwhile, is likely to see wintry showers drift in on easterly winds and it is here that snow is most likely.
Weather warnings for ice and snow have been issued for many parts of the UK over the weekend and people should be aware that there could be some disruption to travel.
Paul Gundersen, Met Office Chief Forecaster, said: "All parts of the UK will see cold weather setting in over the weekend. We can expect sleet and snow showers to affect eastern areas at times, but with a battle developing between the cold air in the east and mild air pushing in from the west, no one should be surprised to see sleet or snow over the weekend and early next week."
