The United Kingdom is preparing for a significant bout of wintry weather, with forecasters warning of three consecutive days of snow storms set to sweep across the nation. Disruption is expected from Wednesday, 10 December 2025, through to Friday, 12 December.
Which Counties Are on Snow Alert?
As many as 22 counties across all four Home Nations could see a dusting of snow, with some areas bracing for more substantial falls. The widespread nature of the warning means communities from the south coast of England to the Highlands of Scotland need to be prepared.
In England, the at-risk counties stretch surprisingly far south and include: Dorset, Somerset, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Northumberland, Durham, and Lancashire.
Wales is not exempt, with Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire highlighted. The forecast for Scotland suggests the Scottish Highlands, Western Isles, Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, and Perth and Kinross will be hit.
In Northern Ireland, counties Antrim, Down, Fermanagh, and Tyrone are also expected to be covered.
What Are the Meteorologists Saying?
Ian Simpson, a forecaster from Netweather TV, provided analysis of the developing situation. He indicated that some weather models are predicting Britain will develop an easterly airflow, though initially it may be a milder south-easterly type drawing air from southeastern Europe.
"Generally the blocking high looks set to be centred especially over eastern Scandinavia and western Russia," Simpson explained. He noted that for a classic, cold UK easterly to develop, the high pressure needs to ridge westwards towards Greenland and Iceland, which is not currently the dominant pattern.
A Wet and Dull Start to December
Beyond the snow risk, the broader forecast for the first half of December points to unsettled conditions. Simpson suggests western Britain faces a potentially very wet period, with slow-moving, rain-bearing frontal systems likely.
"The first half of December has potential to be very wet in western Britain, where rain bearing frontal systems have potential to become slow moving at times as they push against the Scandinavian blocking high," he said.
The overall picture is one of grey, damp weather for many. "The first half of December 2025 looks more likely to be dominated by slow moving fronts and spells of rather grey and at times misty or foggy weather in between," Simpson added, indicating a lack of sunshine for the period.
Residents in the affected counties are advised to monitor the latest weather warnings and travel updates as the 10 December start date for the snowy spell approaches.
