The winter of 1981–1982 in the United Kingdom (also called The Big Snow of 1982 by the press) was a severe cold wave that was formed in early December 1981 and lasted until mid-late January in 1982.

[2] At the end of November 1981, a strong high-pressure anticyclone over southern England was keeping temperatures around the average for the time of year.

Numerous strong low-pressure extratropical cyclones passing to the north of Scotland dragged cold upper-level air down from the Arctic, but the anticyclone to the south of the United Kingdom deflected the coldest air away from the British Isles.

On 23 November 1981, a cold front crossing the United Kingdom, fuelled by humid subtropical air from the south colliding with this colder Arctic air from the north, spawned 104 tornadoes as part of a record-breaking nationwide tornado outbreak.

Following the passing of the cold front, the anticyclone to the south began to break down, allowing the colder Arctic air to move in over Great Britain and Ireland from the north and precipitating the start of the severe cold wave at the start of December.