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Turning colder and wintry

[Updated 06:30 11/01/2017]

Wednesday begins with showers in northern areas. Elsewhere it is mostly dry and quite mild.

During the day showers increasingly turn to sleet or snow in the north. Accumulations are likely in places, especially over higher ground where gale force winds lead to blizzard conditions. Elsewhere dry weather is likely but the colder air will be filtering southwards.

Temperatures range from 5C (41F) in the north to 9C (48F) in the south this morning. See the rainfall and precipitation type radar for the latest view.

Tonight heavy wintry showers continue. In southern and central regions it starts dry but during the second half of the night wet weather pushes into the south west.

Tomorrow the north has a cold and very windy day with frequent snow showers. In southern and central regions a band of precipitation is expected to spread eastwards. Snow is most likely over higher ground on its northern and western edges, and this could cause some travel disruption.

On Friday the cold snap continues. Wintry showers remain widespread in the north and an area of more persistent sleet or snow could push southwards down the eastern side of Britain.

Forecast confidence for the weekend is low but the most likely scenario is for less cold air to slowly push back in from the west. Next week high pressure is expected to bring a good deal of dry weather with a risk of nighttime frost. There is a chance of much colder air pushing in from the east across the southern half of the UK. Buzz takes a look at the snow risk.

Ensembles at a glance

The 16 day GEFS ensemble shows cold conditions early on. Through next week the favoured outcome is for rather cold and dry weather. However, very cold and mild outcomes are also possible.