After a week which has seen large parts of the UK blanketed in snow, there could be some relief on its way for certain areas of the country.
Earlier this week, heavy showers and snow saw the Met Office issue an Amber warning for Northern Ireland, Wales, the north west and north east.
Weather maps this week suggested that parts of the country could see the icy conditions stretch into the weekend but new data suggest that some areas might be spared.
A Met Office predicts: “Icy start on Friday with sunshine and wintry showers continuing in exposed areas. Showers and winds gradually easing through the afternoon.”
But weather maps from WXCharts.com suggest that some areas of the country could be set for up to 5cm of snow, with other areas mercifully avoiding it and the travel chaos that comes with it.
According to the maps, Edinburgh and the south of Scotland will avoid snow throughout Friday, with its absence stretching as far south as Leeds.
But the Scottish highlands could be set for a mammoth 21cm of snow, good news for the region’s ski resorts but less so for its busy road gritters.
The midlands is likely to see snow, with Stoke on Trent potentially seeing as much as 4cm of snow land on Friday morning.
Capitals Cardiff and London should see nothing more than light rain, with the lack of snow extending all the way to the south coast.
The south west is likely to be hit, with Plymouth expecting around 3cm and seaside town Bournemouth set for around 5cm.
The Met Office has been hesitant to warn of snow, with its weekend forecast warning of a “wet and windy” Saturday with some hill snow initially, and blustery showers on Sunday and Monday.
