New weather maps indicate half of the UK could be blanketed with up to 20cm of snow in the next 48 hours, as meteorologists monitor advancing snowy conditions. WXCharts has depicted a snow front sweeping across Britain on New Year’s Day, predicting snowfall reaching Birmingham and the wider West Midlands on the morning of January 2.
The snowstorm is expected to push southward, forecasting that by January 2, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, parts of northern England and the Midlands will find themselves under a white cover.
Snow depth maps for January 2 suggest northern England could wake up to a substantial 20cm of settled snow, while northern Scotland might see accumulations close to 15cm according to WXCharts’ projections.
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Yellow snow and ice warnings are in place from the Met Office for Wednesday and Thursday in northern Scotland, spanning midnight on Wednesday until 9am on Thursday.
There’s advice from the Met Office to brace for impacts, reports the Mirror. For the period of Wednesday to Friday, the Met Office’s forecast anticipates heavy rain with an unsettled touch, saying, “Further unsettled weather to come, with frequent heavy showers and strong winds into New Year’s Day. Turning colder from Thursday, with blustery, perhaps wintry, showers.”
(Image: WXCharts)
Looking further ahead, after January 3 through to January 12, there’s an expectation for rainfall and sleet to transition increasingly into snow events. “This cold, showery northerly may persist in the east, as high pressure builds in the Atlantic brings a period of more settled weather to western areas,” the Met Office shared.
“There is also a chance that rain may move in from the south over the first weekend of January, falling as snow as it runs into colder air. Into the following week, a fairly changeable picture is probable. Wettest and windiest weather in the north and west, whilst the south and east will more likely remain more settled overall.”