Snow forecast for Scotland as temperatures plunge to freezing after 'anticyclonic gloom'

The Met Office said the UK would feel chillier this week thanks to clearer skies. Gloomy weather produced above-average temperatures of 13C to 15C in many parts of the country during the start of November.

However, they are forecast to return to the usual daily highs of between 8C in Scotland and 11C in the south over the next few days.

Frosts are expected in Scotland on Tuesday night, and there is a chance of snow in the Scottish Highlands from early next week, but a “very, very low probability” of flurries further south.

It is expected to get cooler as the weekend nears and northerly breezes could bring an extra wind chill from Saturday.

Met Office meteorologist Zoe Hutin said: “It is getting chillier, certainly in the overnight periods, but also by day as well. It’s thanks to the clearer sky – I’m sure we’re all grateful for a little bit of sunshine today – and also the northerly wind is pushing slightly cold air across the British Isles.

“There is a chance of seeing some snow from the weekend onwards, but nowhere that we wouldn’t expect to see at this time of year.

“I don’t think we’ll be seeing snow in London, it’s not entirely out of the question, [but] there’s a very, very low probability, just like there always is.”

Clouds have meant there has been little variation between daytime and night-time temperatures in the past two weeks, Ms Hutin said.

High pressure stalled changes in the weather and made it gloomy and chilly rather than cold, she added.

Forecasters dubbed the bleak weather “anticyclonic gloom”.

The Met Office has said the phenomenon led to the UK experiencing, on average, only three hours of sunshine in the whole of the seven days up to Thursday last week.