New maps show the moment an 800-mile snow bomb is set to explode over the British Isles.
The Metdesk maps from WXCharts show an extremely snowy day on Thursday November 21, which is just over a week away. By 6pm, most of the UK will be blanketed with a carpet of snow the arrival of an enormous frosty weather front stretching from the highest reaches of Scotland, all the way down to the northern tip of Europe.
The heaviest snowfall will settle near Aberdeen, where as much as 50cm of snow is expected. A huge portion of Wales will also feel the crunch underfoot as around 20cm could fall. Some parts of the north of England will also see around 10cm while the rest of the country will see less.
Weather forecaster Jim Dale, the chief meteorologist with British Weather Services, said that this weather front of "very deep snow time" could last as long as a full week. He said: "The board is set the pieces are moving! This one is looking like a full week in the freezer before it relents.
"The weather models will ebb & flow but the latest is spelling a very deep snow time (several inches) for the Midlands & Pennine towns & villages. Scottish hills & mountains go without saying. Traffic dislocation & dangers appear inevitable. But it all means nothing for how Christmas may turn out."
It comes after the Met Office had its say on whether parts of the UK could expect heavy snowfall in the coming weeks or not. Colder weather is on its way southwards as Arctic winds send temperatures plunging. The mercury already hit -2.6C on Tuesday in Braemar, Aberdeenshire.
There was some thought the plummeting temperatures will lead to snowfall - as much as 18 inches in places - across the UK, including Scotland. Meteorologists at WX Charts, which provided alarming weather maps to illustrate the forecast, still anticipate such wintry weather for around Saturday, November 23.
And the Met Office says there is a "possibility of snow" as early as this Sunday. It understands high pressure will gradually subside this week and allow winds to start to come in from the north or northwest. Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Mark Sidaway said: “The high pressure that has been responsible for the mainly dry weather through much of this week will retrogress into the Atlantic as we get towards the weekend.
"This will gradually introduce more unsettled weather, initially in the north from Friday but more widely from Sunday. In addition to this 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.”