A projected weather map has shown how the UK faces the possibility of a new “Beast from the East” which could hit most the country in just a few weeks.
A bitter cold spell that saw temperatures plunge below -10C for the first time this year saw millions of Brits affected by the weather as icy roads led to dangerous driving conditions.
Despite recent warmer days, the latest outlook from WXCharts, which uses data from MetDesk, shows the the projected outlook of mass snow heading towards the UK from the east.
The maps also shows several major locations that could see the heaviest snowfall, with some areas potentially seeing up to 2cm of snow settling per hour over two days. The latest charts show snow sweeping over the east coast from January 26.
The ‘cosy’ dressing gown Dancing on Ice’s Mollie Pearce is wearing to stay warm on the ice
The WXCharts shows the potential snow that could hit the UK
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Image:
WXCharts)
The worst of the initial snow, starting around 6am, will settle over high ground, in the Cairngorms national park and to the west of Dundee. These two areas are set for around 2cm of snow per hour, while the rest of Scotland, from Edinburgh to Wick, are likely to see less, around 0.3cm to 0.5cm.
Northern England looks set to see the most snow south of the border, with Newcastle, the North Pennines National Landscape, Yorkshire Dales and North Moors bracing for around 2cm.
Snow is set to blanket a huge swathe of the UK on January 26 and 27, with maps indicating coverage from the top of Scotland right down to Essex. The North Pennines could see snow depths of up to 15cm (six inches), while the Cairngorms could be hit with 10cm.
Meanwhile, other areas are forecast to experience lighter snowfall, between 1cm and 4cm over lower ground, and isolated hail patches on the west coast of Wales. Despite the snow being relatively light in most parts, the total area affected spans several hundred miles.