12/01/2016 Weather for the Week Ahead

Hello. We are now nearly midway through winter

and after the very springlike start to the year, things are suddenly

feeling more wintry as we move through the week ahead.

So, getting colder for most of us through the course of the week.

There will be some showers falling as snow at times,

mainly on the hills,

but also some frost and some icy stretches overnight.

So Tuesday we could start with some icy patches

on untreated roads and surfaces.

Low pressure still the driving force of the weather through

the course of Tuesday.

But it is going to be a chilly start to the day.

So if you're heading out and about first thing, do watch out

for some slippery surfaces on untreated roads and pavements.

After that chilly start to the day, it will be another day of

blustery heavy showers, quite strong winds at times too.

The showers falling as snow on top of the hills of Scotland

even down to lower levels

for eastern Scotland for a time and we could see some sleet and snow.

Northern Ireland, after a very wet and windy morning, will clear up

by the afternoon with a return to some sunshine.

But heavy showers rolling in across parts of Wales into the Midlands

falling as snow on top of the higher ground.

Down towards southern and south-western parts of England

some drier weather through Tuesday afternoon with some sunshine.

Still showers lingering for eastern areas.

They'll be heavy at times through the course of Tuesday.

But with low pressure easing away towards the east as we roll

through into Wednesday morning, clearing skies means a drier

and quite a colder start to Wednesday as well.

Particular, in the countryside, first thing Wednesday,

we could see temperatures as low as -9 for sheltered glens in Scotland.

So a cold start with some frost

and again a risk of some iciness first thing.

Through the course of Wednesday, the best of the dry

and sunny weather will be for eastern areas.

Further west, we will start to see more cloud rolling in

bringing some showers and some hill snow once again.

As we move through the latter part of Wednesday,

then overnight into Thursday, low pressure still dominating

moving its way gradually eastwards across northern areas.

Some further showers and hill snow rolling their way eastwards.

But as we look through the middle part of the week,

the mild air has now disappeared down towards the south.

You can see the blue arrows here,

colder air coming in from a more north to north-westerly direction.

Through the day on Thursday,

that colder air filtering in from the west.

Still some showers mainly for eastern areas tending to ease away,

but those temperatures certainly down a notch on recent days,

between around 3 to 7 Celsius,

perhaps a little bit below average for this time of year.

Then rolling through into the latter part of the week, high pressure

in the Atlantic just starting to edge in towards our shores,

so that will start to ease away the showers through the day on Friday.

A drier story, some sunshine after a cold and frosty start.

Round about 3 to 7 or 8 Celsius.

Still that chance of some showers for eastern areas.

But heading through into the weekend,

it looks like high pressure in the Atlantic moves in across the UK.

We've still got a northerly airflow,

the isobars heading back towards the Arctic there.

So still a chilly story as we look towards the weekend, but for many,

we should have a largely dry and fairly bright weekend to come.

With some sunshine, although things will be feeling cold and frosty.

Beyond the weekend, on into next week, what we're going

to start to see is still a northerly airflow, so some chilly conditions.

There could well be some snow, mainly on the hills

but even for a time down to lower levels

for north-eastern parts of the country, in particular.

Further south and west, that is where we are likely to see some frosty

but bright weather.

The best of the shelter to be found further south and west.

So through the course of next week,

it will be a cold start to the week once again.

Often, though, looking dry and bright.

Wintry showers mainly in the north and east

and things could turn milder once again

as we look towards the end of next week.

Lots happening in the weather, we'll keep you up to date

with the weather for the week ahead right here.

I have principles...

..and I stick to 'em,

but I'm not a stupid man.