December: Chilly, some wintry weather around.
A chilly but dry start to December with some dry and bright weather around, but also some rain - amounts of which are not expected to give cause for concern. Through mid-month, high pressure consolidates, so expect a run of dry weather, which will combine chilly and bright daytimes, with clear and crisp nights, leading to sustained frost and fog activity, some of which will persist throughout the day, predominantly inland and in more so valley locations. During the final segment of December, unsettled weather chiefly affecting the higher ground across the eastern and north-eastern side of the UK, and possibly higher ground pushing westward for a time, may well deliver a White Christmas.
January: Mainly dry start, wintry weather developing.
A cold but dry start to January, quite raw at times, with a continuation of dry and bright conditions by day, with some sharp night frosts, particularly inland. By mid-month, with the cold theme continuing, sleet and snow showers will become increasingly more widespread, with moderate falls of snow possible, which have the potential to cause disruption - particularly for eastern and upland regions. PWS will continue to assess how the detail of the expected snowfall develops, but confidence is high that this eventuality will occur. January ends with dry and bright conditions alternating with periods of wintry weather, with the north and northeast again most likely to experience the worst of the conditions, with the south and west seeing more of a rain/sleet combination for the most part.
February: Bitterly cold month, wintry weather.
Another largely cold start to another month, with the ongoing threat of wintry conditions, in the form of organised bands of rain, sleet, and snow, interspersed with drier and brighter weather. Through mid-month, the likelihood and confidence of more widespread and disruptive snowfall increases, most likely once again to the north and east, with for a time, the south and west affected too, and some level of disruption can be expected. PWS will continue to monitor this segment of the forecast. By late month, although the cold conditions show signs of receding somewhat, further wintry weather especially to the north and east cannot be ruled out, with the south and west more likely to see a rain/sleet mix.