Aaron Field captured the phenomenon on camera as it lit up the sky
Thundersnow in Wirral
A “huge” bang was heard as snow fell across Merseyside. People living in Wallasey and other areas of Wirral took to social media to say they heard the sound on Monday, January 6, with many questioning what it was.
Some people said soon after the bang snow began to fall. Aaron Field managed to capture on camera the skies lighting up in a video. A huge rumble could also be heard in the clip.
Many people said the sound was “thundersnow”, which is considered a rare phenomenon. The Met Office said when thunderstorms form in wintry conditions they can sometimes give rise to heavy downpours of snow which are often called “thundersnow”.
It comes after the Met Office issued another yellow weather warning for Merseyside between 5pm on Monday, January 6 and 10am on Tuesday, January 7. Snowfall overnight has caused disruption to the region’s roads, as well as delays to train services and flights.
Schools across the region have also decided to close to ensure the safety of their staff and pupils. Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Frank Saunders, said: “Hail, sleet or snow showers are expected to affect parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, spreading to Wales and parts of northwest England this evening, before moving into part of southwest England, the Midlands and southern England during the early hours of Tuesday. Rain or hail is more likely towards some western coasts.
“Icy stretches which develop overnight as a result of these showers, or the recent wet conditions, could bring some disruption to travel. In addition to the ice, we could see snow accumulations of a few cm above 200 metres, with a chance of greater than 5 cm above 200 metres in Wales. The heaviest snow showers may also produce temporary accumulations of 0-2 cm at low levels. It is not possible to say exactly where this snow might fall, so it’s important that people are prepared.”