An expert explains what's happening with this 120 days of snow 'about to hit the UK'

Some news headlines this week have screamed that the UK should expect 120 days of snow this winter. Which is one Hoth of a prediction.

The pieces are based on a statement by a forecaster for Exacta Weather, which actually doesn't explicitly warn of three months of snow:

There will be phases of strongly negative plunges particularly from December to January.

This will result in some very potent or potentially memorable periods of cold and snow within this period for many parts of the country.

Regardless, some have painted this outlook as a sign we will be undertaking a mini ice age.

To attempt to verify that we will not need to buy snow shoes, we contacted the Met Office.

A Met Office spokesperson told indy100:

There is only forecast capability for five or seven days ahead, beyond that we provide an outlook into what we think the likely probability of the weather will be, not a prediction of what we expect it to be.

The most likely outlook for the next few months is that we can expect usual weather in winter, and that there is a slightly raised signal that we may get slightly colder weather.

It is not likely to be 120 days of snow - that is a ridiculous statement.

If you look at the probabilities, the strongest signal is of having an average winter, probably slightly colder than last year because December last year was a record for warmth.

We will refine forecasts when we approach five or seven days to go until a specific date.

That's that then, expect it to be chilly, probably (it is winter, after all). Or, better yet, check on the weather forecast in late November, when predictions will be much more accurate.

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