Snow maps show 758-mile long blizzard storm hitting UK as -8C freeze hits next week

A monster 758-mile-long blizzard is forecast to engulf the UK next week, as Britain braces for a brutal Arctic blast that could send temperatures plummeting to -8C and dump up to a metre of snow in parts of the country. According to weather maps from WX Charts data, a massive low-pressure system sweeping down from the Arctic will unleash heavy snow, ice and freezing winds from Monday, November 17 to Wednesday, November 26.

By Thursday, November 20, the storm's core is expected to hit northern England and Scotland, bringing blizzard-like conditions and snow depths of up to 100cm in some regions, particularly over the Pennines, the Highlands and parts of Northern Ireland.

The latest ECMWF model, shared by MetDesk, shows a swirling area of low pressure (988mb) dragging freezing air from the north, with snow showers stretching from the Shetland Islands down to the south coast of England, a staggering 758-mile stretch.

Meteorologists warn that temperatures could plunge to -8C in northern and rural areas, with biting northerly winds making it feel even colder.

A Met Office outlook for November 17-26 suggests a "cold but bright start" for most parts of the UK, before wintry showers begin to spread across northern and eastern coasts. Forecasters say these showers "could turn to snow, even to lower levels in the far northeast," with widespread overnight frost expected.

The report said: "An area of rain and stronger winds may move southeast across much of the UK, bringing a brief less cold spell, before a resumption of the cold northerly airflow with further wintry showers."

The big freeze follows a week of severe weather warnings issued across the UK. On Tuesday, November 11, four yellow alerts for rain were issued by the Met Office, with further warnings in force for Friday, November 14, affecting the East Midlands, southeast England, Wales, and parts of the North West.

Although forecasters say conditions may briefly settle under high pressure later next week, another surge of cold Arctic air could arrive before the end of the month, potentially extending wintry conditions into December.

The country is expected to set for a freezing and snow-laden end to November, with the first nationwide blizzard of the season on the horizon.