Winter 2025/2026

[GloriaSmud]

We’re a few weeks from the start of meteorological winter on the 1st December but there are already some musings on websites about what the next season might bring….

So here are the thoughts of:

Netweather ~ (Vegemiteandhoneyontoast posted a link to this one on the Autumn thread).....
https://www.netweather.tv/weather-forecasts/news/13184-winter-202526-outlook-what-four-decades-of-weak-la-nina-winters-tell-us

Two from TheWeatherOutlook…..
https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/weather-news/7632/winter-2025-26-weather-outlook
https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/weather-news/7672/uk-snow-or-cold-snap-in-november---here-is-what-the-model-data-says

And SevereWeatherEurope (a new one that I haven’t come across before, has some well put-together explanations)….
https://www.severe-weather.eu/long-range-2/winter-2025-2026-outlook-colder-season-forecast-for-united-states-canada-europe-fa/

My thoughts (more gut feeling than anything and based on the weather we’ve been having recently!), is that we’re veering towards a fairly quiet but colder than average winter. I don’t think we’ll have many storms but there’ll be rain at times (which will go some way towards upping the reservoir levels.) I think there’ll be some cold snaps (maybe more at the start of winter), plenty of sunny days and nighttime frosts. Hopefully (for those that like it!), we’ll get some snow and the chances of that will increase if the quiet, settled weather stays and systems from the Atlantic try to move in. Any snow will probably last a day or two rather than the ‘so much snow that the country grinds to a halt,’ sort of thing.

So we’ll see if any of these predictions come true!......

My stepdad found out and told my DM that apparently in London and SE where we are we’re getting snow in the first week of January. Source unknown.

It certainly looks like it's going to turn a lot colder as we head into the New Year. Around the coasts could see some snow showers to start with but some could work their way a little inland, especially in the North.
Thoughts from the metoffice on the first week or two of 2026...

Friday 2nd-Sunday, 11th January
Cold northerly winds, initially across Scotland are now expected to become dominant across the whole UK in the first week of January. These will bring wintry showers (often of snow) to many coastlines (and areas just inland of these) that are exposed to onshore winds. Subtle day-to-day changes in wind direction from northeast to northwest will change the places most exposed to the showers, but many inland locations across central and southern areas will remain mostly dry but cold. There are likely to be some more coherent bands of rain, sleet and snow working south, and these may bring a risk of more prolonged wintry precipitation affecting some inland areas. Towards the second half of this period, slightly milder conditions will attempt to move in from the west.

Thanks for the updates @GloriaSmud it's greatly appreciated, so are we on "Snow Watch" now? 😁

Thanks @GloriaSmud - looks like it’s going to be freezing. Fingers crossed for some snow! Though I’ve learnt not to get my hopes up - especially in the SE!

@leesmum ~ we could well be on Snow Watch now ~ perhaps we should all move over to the snow thread here!

@Delatron ~ I think almost anywhere could get something of a snowy nature but being in the SE and with showers blowing inland, you've probably got a good chance of seeing something....

Oooh @GloriaSmud great that the possibility of snow is a bit more widespread!

Fingers crossed for the SW. bloody freezing here this morning. But beautifully sunny.

Need to dig out my thermals from wherever I put them.

The snow we had forecast (NE) has gone to sleet and although it’s cold the freezing weather is now only set to last a day or 2. Back to 5/6 by next week. I don’t think anyone has a clue!

Sunny all this week and over the weekend. Could do without snow tbh because I walk to work.

Looks like we're in for a cold few days, with the risk of snow and ice for Scotland and Northern England ~ weather warnings for snow and ice issued by the metoffice.

Some thoughts from Netweather as we start 2026...

Happy New Year everyone! 🍾🎆

It’s beautiful - sunny and cold here.

Thanks for keeping us all updated @GloriaSmud

Happy NYE 🥳

Beautiful but freezing today. No snow now on the forecast for us. Rain and drizzle and back to average temps at the start of Jan.

I’ve just bought another Seasalt coat in the sale to prepare!

Happy New Year’s Eve. Thank you for all your words of wisdom throughout the year @GloriaSmud. I’m hoping for snow as I love winter!

@Donutface2 and @Delatron ~ oh gosh and

It looks like it's going to be quite a short cold snap, with it warming up again sometime next week before it possibly gets colder again. But for those that like snow/cold/frosts, let's enjoy this one while it lasts!

Thank you @GloriaSmudi really appreciate your threads and wisdom!

I did watch the Met Office prediction for meteorological winter back at the beginning of December and I think it was coming in pretty much bang on average for everything, from temperature to precipitation and wind. A few cold days, then a few mild days with wet, then swinging about between the two seems to be what's in store.

I do not want snow. It can do what it likes out there as long as it doesn't snow.

@thesandwich
A few more weather warnings have been issued ~ we're just outside the warning area for the Midlands for Friday but I'm hoping we'll get something, even if it's a slight covering 🙏❄

@GloriaSmud So, according to Netweather there is an 80% chance of snow today in Leicestershire, but bbc weather shows nothing. As I am desperately hoping for snow I am checking several different sites 😂🙏🏻 but I usually find the most accurate info comes from the snow watch threads on here! What are your thoughts, are you getting ready to polish the sledge at all? ❄️☃️

Well @cheeseybeans19 , Leicestershire's now just about covered by a yellow warning for tomorrow so at the moment, we'll possibly wake up to a slight covering but that's about it. So I think I'll leave polishing the sledge again as unless there's a change, I'm not sure there'll be enough to use it on this occasion!
(Some areas of Scotland are now under an Amber warning so they're getting 2026 off to a very wintry start.)

@GloriaSmud Thank you for the update, time to relocate to Scotland! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ❄️

We got snowwwwwwww ☃️☃️☃️

Snow in north Wales, not enough here to build a ☃️ yet. Roads lethal though

Nothing for us in the way of snow here (Leicester) this morning ~ it's just a cold and frosty -1C
There are a lot of weather warnings out for the next few days as there's the potential for some areas to have snow, that haven't had any so far and TheWeatherOutlook thinks so as well, as milder air tries to return....

Forecast seem quite changeable for Essex.

I am really hoping that the current one is correct. It has removed the snow and has us going back up to about six by Thursday. Fingers crossed. The cold is biting, reaching every nerve and fibre. Name that tune 😂

We're in the mountains shadow so westward Abergwyngryn, Bangor, Anglesey, Caernarfon lots of snow fall. Eastwards from Conwy to Prestatyn pretty clear. Further East inland it piles up more.

They're giving snow this evening. But that's it for us I think

@EmeraldRoulette Wouldn't it be Good! I do love snow but in Essex this week we've had the loveliest sunny days and gorgeous sunsets. I can't see any snow falling on us any time soon.