Five counties across the UK are bracing for a severe drop in temperatures, with weather maps indicating an icy plunge to as low as -5C in the wake of Christmas. The cold snap, driven by high pressure, is forecast to bring widespread frost and potentially hazardous conditions to northern regions.
Counties on Alert for Deep Freeze
According to the latest projections from weather modelling service WXCharts, a frigid air mass will sweep southwards across the country in the days following the festive period. The five counties identified as being at highest risk of the most severe overnight lows are:
- Aberdeenshire
- Highland
- Northumberland
- Cumbria
- Perth and Kinross
Within these areas, particularly in rural spots, sheltered glens, and valleys, thermometers could drop to around -5C, with the possibility of even colder readings. Scotland appears most vulnerable to the deepest chill, though northern England is also set for a pronounced cold spell.
Met Office Forecasts a More Gradual Change
The national weather service offers a somewhat more measured outlook for the same period. In its forecast covering Friday, December 19 to Sunday, December 28, the Met Office indicates the period will start unsettled for many, with showers and potentially heavy rain.
A shift is expected as the weekend progresses, with Scotland and Northern Ireland seeing conditions improve first. Further south, wet weather may linger before high pressure builds more widely across the UK.
Frosty Nights and Morning Fog Expected
As high pressure establishes itself, it will bring lighter winds and clearer skies. While daytime temperatures are predicted to fall closer to seasonal averages rather than plummeting dramatically, the Met Office highlights key risks.
Overnight frosts and morning fog are likely to become increasingly common. This fog may be slow to clear in some areas, raising the potential for travel disruption during the morning commute.
Therefore, while some weather models suggest a sharp -5C freeze in the coldest locations, the official forecast points towards a cold but more typical late-December pattern. This pattern will see frosty, foggy nights replacing recent unsettled weather, rather than an extreme, prolonged cold snap.
