Forecast maps indicate that several major UK cities could be hit by snow as a wintry blast sweeps across the country on March 8. Belfast, Manchester and Liverpool are expected to be among the first to see flurries, with snow also moving into Northern Ireland, Wales, the north-west, south-west and the Midlands by around 8am.
The ECMWF weather model suggests that by midday, snow could be falling at a rate of around four inches per hour over the Pennines in northern England. Birmingham may also be affected as the flurries spread southward and eastward, reaching East Anglia. London could see snow at around 6pm, while snow is forecast to fall across Scotland throughout the day.
Accumulations are predicted to be significant in some areas, with as much as 29cm (11 inches) settling over hills in Scotland. The North Pennines could see 10cm (four inches), the north-west of England around 8cm (three inches), and Wales up to 5cm (two inches). Other regions are likely to see only 1cm or 2cm.
BBC Weather, however, has suggested the chance of snow in March is currently small. Its forecast for March 2 to 15 indicates signs of high pressure building near the UK, leading to drier conditions with precipitation near or below average. A small chance remains that high pressure could develop at higher latitudes, bringing a colder week and making wintry showers more likely.
