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Severe wintry weather is being forecast for the UK, with as much as 20cm of snow causing disruption in some parts by the weekend, the Met Office says.

Snow is most likely in Scotland and eastern England but south-east England, north Wales, the Midlands and Northern Ireland may also be hit from Thursday.

Snow, sleet and hail will be coupled with gale force icy winds and wind chill temperatures as low as -10C.

Snow in November is "unusual, but not unheard of", the Met Office says.

The forecast follows days of freezing conditions across the UK and warnings of hazardous driving conditions due to dense fog.

Spokesman John Hammond said the chance of seeing some snow was greater further north and on higher ground, where, coupled with gale force or severe gale force icy winds, it was going to make for "an interesting end to the working week", with potentially dangerous conditions on the roads.

But even on lower ground, several centimetres of snow could fall and nowhere in the UK was "immune" between Thursday and Saturday.

Daytime temperatures are expected to be around 2C to 4C, dropping below freezing at night.

The cold weather is being brought by an icy blast from the Arctic which will sweep south on Thursday, bringing rain, sleet, hail and snow first to Scotland and then to the rest of the country.

The Met Office is predicting a colder and drier than average winter for the UK with more frequent cold snaps.

But Mr Hammond said it was too early to tell whether this week's weather was the start of a severe winter.

He said: "It's been feeling cooler in the last few days because we started November with above average temperatures and it has now dropped to something closer to normal."

The last time winter temperatures dropped below the UK average was 10 years ago in 1995/6.

Story from :
BBC NEWS
Published: 2005/11/21 17:05:17 GMT

TWENTY centimetres of snow by the weekend? That is quite scary. *hoping it's not Aberdeenshire*

It may be the start of the 'Ice Age' Jezi so you had better get youl warm breeks oot

My jeans are probably my warmest breeks so could be in trouble!

what's a break? I'm so cold! I have to go out but I don't want to bcz it's too cold! Whatever a break is can I borrow one please? I'm cold!

Keep yourselves warm out there folks!
(I'd love to have 20 cm's snow over here! )

Naturally, if London has more than 2cm of snow it'll be declared a national emergency

I'm sure Blair has already moved down to DEFCON 3 as a precaution.

Calrissian: awaiting the usual disapointment of 'no-snow'

Cal, he will be on his way to an URGENT MEETING in the Bahamas

absolutely. Is it any wonder those London types have such a reputation?

I've noticed one or two Finns and Scandinavians lurking about here. I guess you peeps know we'll have it easy compared to you folks.

Have been trawling the weather boards, and the weather-heads are really unclear as to what will happen.
The BBC are not predicting anything significant at present (well, not in grand scheme of weather), whilst some net-heads are suggesting snow for most places and significant disruption on Friday - which could last until Sunday...and then further waves of snow sometime next week.

As it is...I am doubtful of snow - especially for the south.

Cal: cold.

Have a look at the GFS models Carlrissian..they started predicting the snow at the weekend, they're usually fairly good up to about a week out.

Snow is the hardest thing of all to predict with accuracy mind.

Calrissian, I take it that your doubt comes from the knowledge of both the flatness of the South and the Gulf Stream. I suggest you go look up the winter of 1963. There is always an exception to the case.

breeks are trousers... sorry, posted that in a hurry earlier and made a mistake!

I'm well aware of the winter of 1962/3, that was the last decent 'real winter', a leftover anomoly from the 'little ice age' cold spell of the 1800s.
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GFS sucks as a model, but lets no go down their uber-geek road. No one really knows whether it'll snow this Friday, the UK is a damn difficult place to predict, especially since once again this time the temps are quite marginal.

Calrissian: cold..and planning to stockpile, milk, chocolate...and cereal