Warmer-than-average temperatures this week are set to give way to a reminder that winter isn’t over yet, with a barrage of snow and ice forecast for large parts of the UK in the coming days. Weather maps from WXCharts suggest that the mercury will drop to below-freezing across the country on Wednesday, March 12, with temperatures averaging 0C in the southeast and plummeting to -2C in the Scottish Highlands.
By midday on March 12, snowfall in Scotland is set to reach depths of around 1cm, with flurries also expected in northeastern England, including in Northumberland, Tyne Ware and Durham. The blitz of snowy weather could also stretch from the West Midlands down to Dyfed in southwestern Wales, with a front of heavy rain moving into the Devon coast at around the same time. At around 6pm, snow is forecast to have accumulated to depths of around 2cm in the north, alongside patchy areas on the Welsh border and between Newcastle and West Yorkshire.
Northern areas will be worst hit by the spell of disruptive weather, but regions across the UK will see a drastic pivot from the high temperatures of up to 17C seen over the past week.
Southwestern areas, including London, Southampton, and Oxford, are expected to record sub-zero temperatures by mid-next week, while a slice of northeast and northwestern Britain will see drops to around -1C alongside snowfall. Moreover, forecasts suggest a wet front will hit the UK from its northeasterly and southwestern coasts on the evening of March 12, with rain falling at around 1mm per hour.
The Met Office has also warned of “much colder conditions” across the UK next week, with the mercury dropping from the balmy high teens into the single digits almost immediately on Monday, March 10.
“A frontal zone will move south across the UK during Sunday night and Monday, with much colder air following from the north,” Chris Bulmer, deputy chief meteorologist, said.
With these cold northeasterly winds, we are likely to see some wintry showers across the north and the east of the UK next week, but any snow accumulations are likely to be largely restricted to hills,” he added.
“We’ll also see a return to overnight frosts in many areas.
“While there is uncertainty in the extent of rain and wintry showers through the middle of next week, there is higher confidence that below-average temperatures will continue through the week, bringing a very different feel to the mild weather over the weekend. “
Today:
Some cloud and rain in Scotland and Northern Ireland and scattered showers in the southwest, with dry and sunny conditions for the rest of the country.
Tonight:
Cool overnight temperatures but no frost expected. Patchy fog in the north and some light rain the far southwest.
Sunday:
Dry and sunny for most of the country, with some cloud, breeze and scattered showers in the north and southwest.
Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:
Rain moving in from the south on Monday, ushering in colder and less settled weather for the rest of the week. Sunny spells mixed with wintry showers on Tuesday and Wednesday.
