An array of towns and cities in the UK could find themselves in more winter chaos in the coming days as forecasts begin to show a plunge in temperatures – and risk of snow.
Maps from WXCHARTS show the mercury dropping for all of Britain from around February 6, with thermometers dipping by around 3C in the lead up to the second weekend in February.
This in turn could spark a snow deluge, with flurries potentially affecting sporadic parts of England and Scotland, but one meteorologist said signals, at the moment, point to the north copping the brunt of it.
Jim Dale, a senior meteorologist at British Weather Services said: “Yes we could [see snow], in northern areas particularly. The heat leaves us and transitions to colder [temperatures].”
Fears the deadly Beast from the East could return this year, sparked by the Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) earlier this month, have been down-played for now.
Mr Dale continued: “It’s the Troll from Trondheim but he has some way to go yet with concern as to who gets what and when.”
Beast from the East vs. Troll from Trondheim
Mr Dale continued: “It’s the Troll from Trondheim but he has some way to go yet with concern as to who gets what and when.”
The Beast from the East struck in February 2018, when a snow storm wreaked havoc by thrusting widespread snow across large areas of the country, with almost every town and city feeling its wrath.
It was caused by an easterly flow, which comes from Norway, and unfolded when SSW occurred. SSW happens when disruption to the stratospheric polar vortex begins, causing waves to push higher into the atmosphere, and essentially weakening it – forcing its reversal.
The phenomenon increases the chances of prolonged cold spells in northern Europe, with Britain also in the firing line. A SSW event actually happened earlier this month, and contributed to the cold period many have recently just recovered from.
The Troll from Trondheim, a phrase coined by Mr Dale, is used to describe a lesser version of the beast which sits to the east of northern Scotland and England, unleashing its hell on northern towns and cities, leaving the Midlands and the south largely unscathed.
Weather maps currently highlight northern parts of England and most of Scotland are most likely to see snow during a period from February 4 to 10.
Currently, maps show February 10 as being the coldest single day – with parts of urban Scotland suffering in lows of -8C in cities such as Edinburgh. Looking further south, this increases to -1C in towns and villages on the outskirts of Manchester.
On February 4, a diagonal band of snow pushing northwards covering Newcastle in its entirety, Dundee, Carlisle and nearly all of the Scottish Highlands. By the early hours of Monday, February 5, Inverness and Aberdeen will also see wintry showers.
On Wednesday, February 7 flurries appear to circulate the northern half of Britain, again mostly focusing on Scotland. But that’s before a small isolated shower moves in and swipes a large part of the south-east from around 6am on February 8.
MetDesk data indicates Kent, Sussex, London, Essex, Hertfordshire and Hampshire could receive some unexpected snow during the colder period.
By Friday, February 9 maps show a heavier band moving in covering large swathes of the country, stopping just after Birmingham.
On Saturday, February 10 – maps from WXCHARTS and Netweather all indicate a larger snow band could smash into Britain.
It’s still unclear which areas will see snow lay, and not just light showers that may melt immediately.
The Met Office long-range forecast from February 10 to 24 concludes: “Through mid-February there is an increasing likelihood of more settled conditions or winds favouring a northerly component, which will increase the chance of some colder spells and greater likelihood of wintry conditions at times.”
