While Britain basks in some of the best weather of the year so far, new weather maps suggest there could be a chance of snow later this month. A weather map generated by WXCHarts, which uses MetDesk data, on April 12 shows the majority of Scotland and part of northern England and Northern Ireland being hit by snow on April 19, right before Easter Sunday, while large parts of Wales and southern England are forecast to be hit by rain.
A small patch near the Penrith area is also forecast to be hit by ice pellets. According to a map looking at wintry precipitation on that day at 6am, almost all of Scotland could see snow, although the map suggests it will probably only be a light dusting for most areas. Areas including Moray, Aberdeenshire, East Angus, Fife, South and East Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway are all to be hit by the snow, the maps suggested.
South of the border, people in northern areas in Northumberland and Cumbria are also to wake up to snowy conditions, according to the maps.
On the other end, rain would fall on several areas in England and Wales according to the maps, including Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset, possibly ruining Brits’ plans to spend the bank holiday weekend at the seaside.
It comes as Britons have been enjoying some warm spring sunshine this week. It was thought Friday (April 11) could be the hottest day of the year so far but temperatures failed to reach the 23.7C high recorded in Otterbourne, Hampshire, on April 4. Heavy rain and cooler temperatures are expected to follow the warm weather, with downpours expected going into next week.
In its long-range forecast, the Met Office does not mention snow, but acknowledges the UK faces more “mixed weather conditions” than we have seen in recent days.
The forecast, running from April 16 to 25, read: “Much more mixed weather conditions than of late, with low pressure systems and their associated areas of rain and showers often affecting the UK. The rain is likely to be heavy at times, and the showers, most frequently affecting western areas, will also be heavy and blustery in places, with isolated small hail and thunder.
“There will also be some brighter, drier spells in between rain and showers, although probably large amounts of cloud too, with limited sunshine. Unsettled, wet, and occasionally windy conditions are most likely during the first few days of this period; beyond this, and certainly into the following week, there is an increasing chance that cooler, northerly winds could develop, followed by a less unsettled spell. Temperatures mostly around average for the time of year.”