North Top (Aberdeenshire) weather

Headline:

Occasional snow showers especially north, easing later.

Today:

Further snow showers especially in the morning, these becoming more confined to Buchan and some other northeastern areas in the afternoon with increasing sunny spells elsewhere, Maximum temperature 1 °C.

Tonight:

A few wintry showers over Buchan otherwise dry, clear with severe frost this evening and much of night. Then cloudier with occasional snow towards morning, some heavy. Minimum temperature -12 °C.

Tuesday:

Early snow soon clearing then brighter for a time. Then rain and hill snow in afternoon, slight thaw, but rain reverting to snow on high ground before clearing evening, icy. Maximum temperature 3 °C.

Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:

Sunny intervals and sleet or snow showers Wednesday, Early snow Thursday then mainly dry. Friday mainly dry, perhaps some showers later.

A changeable period is expected, with Atlantic frontal systems occasionally affecting the UK, bringing spells of rain, likely preceded by snow in some areas, more especially central, northern and eastern parts. Some significant snowfall is possible in places, particularly on northern hills. These low pressure systems could also bring some strong winds. These will be interspersed with quieter, drier interludes under transient ridges of high pressure, with the potential for frost, and wintry showers along coasts exposed to northerly winds. Temperatures will tend to trend closer to average as the period progresses, mainly in the south, such that the frequency of wintry hazards, especially in the south, may reduce slightly. However, there is a hint late in this period that it may briefly turn widely drier and colder again.

The outlook through the latter part of January and into the start of February is very uncertain, with no strong indication for any particular weather pattern to dominate. However, a broadly westerly regime seems more likely than not. As such, conditions are most likely to be changeable. Spells of wet, windy and mild weather are likely at times, along with some colder, drier interludes with overnight frost and fog. There is a hint that this period may start off largely dry and cold though. Snow and ice remain possible, especially in central and northern parts of the UK, but the chance of these is generally lower than earlier in January.