UK weather: Arctic chill could see snow fall in parts of UK tonight

First drop of SNOW! Arctic chill could see the white stuff fall over parts of UK tonight as temperatures slip to 0C ahead of 36-hour deluge and 60mph gales starting tomorrow

  • Met Office says tonight will be ‘noticeably chillier, with a touch of frost in the North’ as conditions turn
  • Temperatures will fall to 0C in Scotland and 3C in England while snow could fall on hills in North West
  • Storms with up to four inches of rain and 60mph winds are predicted to sweep across UK tomorrow 
  • In some parts of the North this weekend’s deluge could match the entire average October rainfall

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Parts of Britain could see their first snow of the season tonight ahead a ‘danger to life’ warning for heavy rain and gales of up to 60mph this weekend.

The Met Office said tonight would be ‘noticeably chillier, with a touch of frost in the North’ amid temperatures falling to 0C in Scotland and 3C in England and Wales, while snow could fall on hills in the North West.

The storms, with up to four inches of rain, are predicted to sweep across the country tomorrow and Saturday, with the worst conditions are expected in Wales and northern England. 

A man puts a newspaper over his head to protect him from the rain at Piccadilly Circus in London this afternoon

Pedestrians caught in the rain at Piccadilly Circus in the capital today next to the London Underground station

Pedestrians caught in the rain at Piccadilly Circus in the capital today next to the London Underground station

Traffic passes through heavy surface water on the roads near St James's Park in Westminster after heavy rain today

Traffic passes through heavy surface water on the roads near St James’s Park in Westminster after heavy rain today

Pedestrians are caught in the rain at Piccadilly Circus in London during a downpour this afternoon

Pedestrians are caught in the rain at Piccadilly Circus in London during a downpour this afternoon

In some parts of the North the deluge could match the entire average October rainfall. Forecasters said a cold front is expected to cross the UK from tomorrow lunchtime and is not due to clear until the end of Saturday.

This will bring heavy rain in most places. It is set to be accompanied by strong winds which could bring gusts of up to 60mph around the south coast and 50mph in Cornwall.

Weather warnings have been issued for most of Wales along with Cumbria, the Pennines and the Peak District.

They highlight the risk of flooding, travel disruption and communities becoming ‘cut off’. The Met Office said: ‘There is a small chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life.’ 

Traffic passes through heavy surface water on the roads near St James's Park in Westminster after heavy rain today

Traffic passes through heavy surface water on the roads near St James’s Park in Westminster after heavy rain today

A man walks a dog along the tree-lined Mullaghbrack Road in Armagh in Northern Ireland this morning

A man walks a dog along the tree-lined Mullaghbrack Road in Armagh in Northern Ireland this morning

People walk along the Basingstoke canal near to Dogmersfield in Hampshire on a wet day today

People walk along the Basingstoke canal near to Dogmersfield in Hampshire on a wet day today

Beautiful autumnal colours are seen on the leaves at the Wallace Monument in Stirling in Scotland today

Beautiful autumnal colours are seen on the leaves at the Wallace Monument in Stirling in Scotland today

It added that some areas could ‘become cut off by flooded roads and there is a slight chance of power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses’. 

It said: ‘Rain is expected to arrive across parts of the UK during Friday and become heavy and persistent. This is especially true for high ground exposed to the strong south-westerly wind.

‘During this period 1.6-2.4in (40-60mm) of rain is likely, with perhaps as much as 4in (100mm) over higher ground. 

‘There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded, causing damage to some buildings. Tomorrow’s band of wet weather could bring up to a month’s rain for some areas.’

This morning's forecast

This afternoon's forecast

Forecasters expect showers in many parts of the country today, with temperatures anticipated to peak at 14C (57F) today

Tomorrow morning's temperatures

Met Office warning for tomorrow and Saturday

Temperatures could fall to 0C in Scotland overnight into tomorrow (left), before a weather warning is activated (right)

The October average rainfall for northern England is 3.96in (100.6mm), while in Wales the average is 6.68in (169.6mm).

Up to October 21, the North already had up to 3.43in (87.2mm) of rain, while 4.8in (122mm) has fallen in Wales. The average October rainfall for England is 3.61in (91.7mm) and 3.42in (86.9mm) has already fallen this month. 

But the Met Office said record rainfall totals for the month are unlikely to be broken. The wettest October was in 1967, when 6.94in (176.5mm) of rain fell in the North and 11.94in (303.5mm) in Wales.

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