The Met Office and the BBC both predict that more snow could be on the way before the month ends as temperatures turn colder
January has already brought significant snowfall to the North East(Image: Iain Buist/Newcastle Chronicle)
England could be covered in another blanket of snow before the end of January, according to the latest weather forecasts.
Weather maps from forecasting service WXCharts currently show a period of snowfall arriving on the evening of Tuesday, January 27, spreading from the west throughout the day to cover a significant stretch of England and Wales by 6pm. In the North East, County Durham and Northumberland are expected to be worst hit, with snow showers extending as far south as Devon.
This snow is currently forecast to continue widely into Wednesday morning, January 28, before turning to rain and hail across most of the country by the afternoon. Snow depth maps show that the white stuff could lie following the flurries, at its deepest in south-west England and Wales with a few centimetres predicted for higher ground in the North East, but this will be gradually washed away by Thursday.
However, it’s worth noting that this forecast is shifting on a daily basis, as snow is famously difficult to predict as far in advance as other weather phenomena. Given that snow forecasts can be particularly changeable, it’s worth checking weather forecasts closer to the time to see whether factors have changed.
Before the potential snow, conditions are turning more turbulent across the UK once again this week with the Met Office having issued a yellow warning for heavy rain in parts of Scotland, coming into force at 6pm today, Wednesday January 21, and remaining all day on Thursday and Friday. This alert warns of potential flooring and travel disruption from the downpours.
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Weather maps show snow hitting parts of the UK next week – but this could all change in the coming days(Image: WXCharts)
The Met Office long range weather forecast for the UK for the period running from Sunday, January 25 up to Tuesday, February 3 also suggests that more snow could be on the way.
“Whilst mild conditions are expected to encroach into the south and southwest at times, it is likely to turn somewhat colder through this period, bringing the risk of some snow showers, most likely across hills in Scotland and northern England,” forecasters said.
The BBC also predicts that there is likely to be “a U-turn back to colder conditions” at the end of January into early February. The broadcaster’s own weather forecast models predict falling temperatures into next week as colder air moves in to the UK, but also notes that this change is “not clear-cut” due to the difficulty of predicting snow in advance.
For the North East, the Met Office currently has temperatures dropping from highs of 8°C on Wednesday, January 21 down to 4°C by Monday, January 26. Wet and windy conditions are forecast over the weekend, with heavy outbreaks of rain expected across the region.
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