UK snow maps turn bright purple as brutal -12C blast to grip entire country

Brits have been warned that a blast of wintry weather could plunge the UK into the deep freeze in the coming days.

maps show the mild weather is set to come to a brutal end with the mercury dropping to a frigid -12C in the second half of November .

The charts show a swathe of frigid temperatures blanketing the whole of the UK, bringing temperatures below zero for large parts of Britain.

Forecaster Ventusky published the weather maps today, warning of harsh conditions headed towards parts of central England, Wales and by the end of next week.

Temperatures could fall as low as -12C in the north on the night of November 23. The lows will follow several days of falling temperatures starting early next week as weeks of mild autumn weather come to an abrupt end.

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The frigid weather is unlikely to bring snow with it, according to the forecast for November 16-25. The forecaster said: “Turning more unsettled and significantly colder as we head into the weekend with low pressure probably becoming established to the east of the UK bringing rain or showers to most regions.

“The heaviest and most frequent spells of rain are most likely in the north where they are likely to turn wintry, especially to the hills of Scotland, but perhaps also to lower levels as colder air digs south. The chance of any widespread or disruptive snowfall affecting more populated areas at this stage however remains low.

“Parts of the south may well see a fair amount of fine and dry weather. Often windy, with a chance of gales at times, especially in the north and east. Temperatures falling below average and feeling particularly cold in the strong winds.”

Met Office Spokesperson Andrea Bishop told Country Living that it was hard to forecast snow far ahead. “There is no indication of widespread snow at this time and snow is not something that can be forecast at such a long timeframe,” she said. “Forecasting snow in the UK isn’t like some other places along the UK's latitude, where snow can be quite reliably forecast days or weeks in advance.

“Because of the UK’s location, where the air comes from is incredibly important when it comes to determining if snow is possible. Being surrounded by water also adds another factor to predicting snow chances in the UK. It may not feel like it if you dip your toe in, but the water in the seas around the UK is well above freezing and that affects the temperature of the air close to the surface which can determine how much snow is in the forecast.”