Britain could be blanketed by a massive 300-mile wall of snow stretching from Scotland to Wales as freezing conditions and heavy snowfall sweep across the country.
According to maps from WX Charts, the wintry blast could take hold on Monday, January 6, bringing snowfall to northern regions before spreading southward.
The weather maps show an unbroken purple and white band of snow stretching approximately 300 miles from the northern Highlands, through Edinburgh and Newcastle, to as far south as Birmingham and Cardiff.
Snow depths in parts of Scotland could reach up to 27cm in Inverness, while areas around Manchester and the Pennines could see up to 21cm of snow, according to the maps.
Further south, Cardiff and Birmingham could also see snow flurries accompanied by icy winds.
By Saturday, January 11, the maps show the snow band shrinking slightly but still covering large areas of Scotland, northern England, and parts of Wales.
WX Charts indicate that snow depths in some areas, particularly around the Highlands, could still reach over 20cm, while the Manchester region is forecast to hold onto depths of around 12-15cm.
The Met Office has also warned of unsettled weather, predicting snow across the north on Sunday (January 5), with wintry conditions spreading further south by Monday.
“Between Tuesday and Thursday, it will be cold with a mixture of sunny spells and wintry showers,” the Met Office said.
The service added: “A more prolonged period of snow in the south is possible on Wednesday.”
Met Office long-range forecast (January 10-19)
For the longer term, the Met Office is forecasting a frosty and cold start to Friday, January 10, with some areas seeing freezing fog patches.
A band of cloud and rain is expected to push in from the west, which could bring further sleet or snow ahead of it.
Their forecast adds: “Through the weekend and beyond, high pressure is likely to develop close to the UK, with generally settled conditions prevailing through mid-month.
“That said, there are likely to be some incursions of milder, windier, more unsettled conditions from the Atlantic at times, especially towards the north and west of the UK. These may be preceded by a spell of snow over higher ground and followed by some wintry showers.”
