UK could face 'coldest winter in decade' with -2C snow from next week

The UK faces a "coldest winter in the decade" as meteorologists and forecasters share fears of plunging conditions and plummeting temperatures. Britain could face the first snowfall of the autumn on October 31, WX Charts maps and charts show.

The projections, using Met Desk data, show the mercury plunging with the thermometers dropping downwards. The Mirror reports there are fears of a "coldest winter in a decade" as we head deeper into Christmas and towards the festive season.

WX Charts have turned white this week, with predictions between October 31 to November 7 showing the mercury plummeting to -2C at times in Scotland. As many as 13 towns and cities in Scotland could be hit by a dusting of the white stuff.

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British Weather Services chief meteorologist Jim Dale said: "Colder yes, within a northerly airstream. Any snow at the moment is confined to the Scottish mountains, maybe higher northern Pennines." He added: "It's a watching brief, as ever but snow in the south so early in the season is becoming a rare event."

The BBC says conditions this week "will turn sunny for most with just a few areas of patchy cloud. A few showers will drift by far southern England though. Cloudier for north-west Scotland with the odd spot of rain." The Beeb adds: "Tomorrow will be cloudier for the west with a few spots of light rain before a more persistent band of rain moves in later in the day. Central and eastern areas will be dry with sunny spells. Breezy."

The outlook for Friday to Sunday adds: "Friday will be unsettled in the south and west with spells of rain. The north will have a few showers but eastern areas will escape drier. On Saturday, a band of rain will move eastwards across the north, clearing later to blustery showers. Largely sunny further south with just the odd shower in spots.

"Sunday will stay unsettled with showers sinking southwards through the day."