Brits are set to face snow in most areas of the country by this weekend as temperatures drop below -10C.
Maps show the snow clouds moving across the UK over the weekend and so by Sunday up to 80% of the country can expect flurries with as much as 36cm falling in the north of Scotland. Only southern parts of England will be spared in the dumping.
The UK had a very mild Christmas with temperatures rising into double figures along with plenty of fog – but this is now changing. The high pressure system that brought overcast conditions is moving away and will be replaced by lows which are moving in from the Atlantic. And where this meets cold Arctic air moving southwards, we will see temperatures plummet.
And the maps from WXCharts show temperatures in Scotland and the south of England dropping to at least -2C on Saturday. Then on Sunday night temperatures will be even cooler, with -11C in Scotland and -3C in northern England.
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A weather map for 6am on Sunday
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Image:
WX Charts)
For New Year there are already warnings of snow, rain and strong winds before it turns notably colder. The Met Office states: “By Thursday, it is likely that the whole of the UK will experience a change to colder conditions, with this persisting into the weekend Wintry showers are expected to affect the far north and east at times, but away from these, sunshine will be much more widespread than in recent days.
“Overnight temperatures will widely fall below freezing, perhaps reaching minus double digits in areas of Scotland already covered in snow. Snow and ice are likely to lead to some travel disruption and difficult driving conditions on New Year’s Day and overnight until 2 January in parts of northern Scotland, and a Yellow Warning has been issued.”
A map showing the amount of snow lying on Sunday at 12pm
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Image:
WX Charts)
Met Office weather forecaster Alex Burkill said: “We stick with that cold Arctic air as we go through Thursday night into Friday, it is looking pretty cold so a harsh frost for many of us, temperatures could get to negative double figures and so also to be aware that there could be some icy patches to watch out for. And a few more wintry showers in places exposed to that northerly wind.”
Weather maps predict this cold snap could last a full 14 days, from January 1 to the middle of the month. WXCharts maps suggest snow will blanket the UK along with temperatures potentially dropping as low as -15C in some regions and snow as deep as 30 inches in high areas around January 11-12.
A weather map for 9pm on Sunday
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Image:
WX Charts)
The Met Office weather forecast from January 4-13 states: “A cold start to this period, with overnight frost and a mix of snow, sleet and rain showers in the north. Milder air may make inroads from the south during the first weekend, bringing snow, rain and perhaps strong winds, but the northern extent of this is unclear and it may be that most or all of the UK remains in the colder air.
“The second week of January then looks rather varied, with high pressure, cold air and wintry showers more likely across the north, spells of rain and strong winds more likely in the south and an uncertain balance between these two regimes. Overall, temperatures are more likely to be below normal than above, but day to day variation is likely.”