New weather maps show the exact date a “snow bomb” is set to hit the UK as temperatures drop across the nation. The new month is expected to bring more “wintry conditions”, with February 8 marking the start of snow showers across the UK.
According to the maps, Scotland and north England will be the first to experience the snow, before the rest of the UK is hit on February 9.
By February 12, snow will be covering most of the British Isles, with only a few regions spared the icy wrath. London, the South East, and South West appear to be the only areas to escape in England.
Newcastle could be one of the worst-hit areas, with up to 18cm of snow expected. Manchester will also be similarly snowed under as up to 9cm is set to fall.
The long-term outlook remains wintry with other maps showing snow for central and western Scotland, as well as patches in northwest England on February 12.
Temperatures are set to drop to freezing levels across the UK by February 10, with Scotland being the coldest at -6C.
The Met Office is saying that there is a lot of uncertainty about the weather next week, but a model which shows a cold spell is more likely. Forecaster Aidan McGivern said “computer models are showing all sorts of different things” and the outlook was “just about as least confident as you can get”.
But at the same time, he said that there were indicators to give a prediction of what is likely to happen.
He stated: “Low pressure sitting further south across the UK than how we started the week and that would allow colder air but it would remain unsettled. With colder air in place, we would see wintry hazards across parts of the UK so hill snow, perhaps some snow at lower levels and some icy patches if this were to occur. This is slightly more likely as a solution for the end of next week.”
BBC Weather forecasters warned of “short-lived chillier incursions” and a “few wintry showers” at the beginning of February. Conditions could possibly turn colder as the month progresses.
They said: “Later in February, and potentially as soon as mid-month, we might start to see the pattern shifting, with high pressure building more to the west or north of the UK, which would induce winds to come from colder directions.”
The Met Office has warned that freezing snow is a possibility in some areas. “It can produce striking effects, as the rain drop spreads out momentarily across the surface before it freezes, encasing the surface in a layer of clear ice,” the national agency stated.
Today:
It will be a rather cloudy and windy day for many, with some patchy rain or drizzle at times in the west and northwest. Brighter spells in the east and to the lee of hills elsewhere. Very mild for all.
Tonight:
Mild and cloudy in the south with patchy rain in the west. Clearer and fresher feeling in the north with showers across western Scotland. Staying windy in the north.
Saturday:
Staying mostly cloudy and mild in the south with patchy rain in the west. Brighter with sunny spells elsewhere with showers across western Scotland. Windy in the north.
Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:
Generally mild and rather cloudy into the start of the new week. Rain at times, especially in the north and west, and often windy. Turning colder from the north Tuesday.
