This BBC Weather alert hints at Edinburgh’s first snow of winter as a November cold snap builds and locals wonder what comes next

Here’s what the maps suggest and when flakes may appear.

After a mild start to the month, the mood in Edinburgh is shifting. Signals from BBC Weather point to the city’s first snow of the season as an Arctic snap drags air down to near freezing in the middle of the week.

Forecasters expect an unsettled mix that toggles between sleet, light snow and bursts of rain across midweek. The pattern builds steadily from late Tuesday into Wednesday, then lingers into Thursday before easing on Friday. It all points to a stop start picture.

BBC Weather’s timeline for Edinburgh’s first flakes

Forecasts indicate the first chance arrives overnight from Tuesday, with a frosty dip pushing temperatures to around 1C in the capital. By mid morning on Wednesday 19 November, values only creep to about 2C while snow remains on the cards.

Through Wednesday afternoon, patchy rain looks likely to move across the city with daytime readings near 4C. Even so, the forecast still flags a low close to -1C in the same spell, a sign the air mass stays cold enough to keep things wintry on the edges.

From around 3pm on Wednesday the signal for snow pops back up as temperatures dip again toward 2C. Light snow is expected to persist into the evening and then carry through the night, a classic on and off setup for this time of year.

Early on Thursday 20 November, the picture leans snowy once more before a late morning flip. After about 10am, the wintry stuff is set to fade with rain returning from roughly 11am until mid afternoon. By evening, the charts bring back snow chances, and around 8pm it could feel close to 1C again.

On Friday 21 November, the snowy theme looks to tail off. Heavy showers then take over, with the day hovering near 5C and rain likely to persist across the city.

The cold snap that bites commutes and pavements this week

This kind of cold snap tends to make everyday trips more awkward than dramatic. Where showers turn wintry, pavements can feel slick first thing, then slushy once the rain wins ground, especially around bus stops and station approaches. Visibility may swing from crisp to murky as showers pass through and that can slow traffic along the usual bottlenecks.

Morning school drop offs could feel raw with a damp chill clinging to coats and gloves, so layers that dry quickly are a wise call. Many commuters are advise to leave a little extra time for connections when the weather bounces between sleet and rain, since platforms and steps gather puddles.

Across Lothian, gritters typically head out on priority routes when readings hover near freezing, which helps main arteries but not every side street. Cyclists might notice the slush banding at the kerb after busy showers, and runners will likely find the best footing where pavements catch the noon sun.

Snow, rain, repeat the on off pattern through Friday

The midweek rhythm looks familiar for November in Edinburgh. Short-lived showers carry the cold air, drop a burst of flakes, then soften into rain as a slightly milder pulse nudges in. When the next pocket of cold slips through, flakes return for a time before giving way again. It is a messy mix rather than a clean white blanket.

That stop start nature matters for anyone planning outdoor work or errands. You might step out into sleet and return in drizzle, so a waterproof outer layer over something warm helps with the swings. Drivers heading across high ground at the edge of the city should keep an eye on dips and bridges where the chill hangs on longer than in built-up streets.

Some locals will watch the thermometer as closely as the sky, since a small nudge either side of freezing can decide whether pavements turn crunchy or just wet. The coming days point to exactly that kind of knife-edge feel, with highs nudging 4C at times and lows close to -1C overnight.

• Earliest window for flakes arrives late Tuesday into Wednesday 19 November, with further chances again on Thursday 20 November.

By Friday, showers look heavier but milder overall, with readings around 5C keeping things firmly on the rainy side. That should wash away most leftover slush from earlier in the week, even if puddles linger at crossings and on cobbles.