Britons are bracing for two Arctic storms set to bring heavy rain and snowfall across the UK, with up to 10cm (four inches) of snow expected in some areas. Advanced weather modelling maps indicate a massive weather front will sweep across the entire country in the early hours of December 4, bringing rain to Northern Ireland, Wales, England, and southern Scotland, while central and northern Scotland could see significant snow.
By midday on December 4, GFS model maps show all of England and Wales engulfed in rain, with snow falling in north-west Scotland. However, snow is forecast to hit England, Wales, and Northern Ireland the following day as another weather front arrives. Maps for December 5 show light snow in Northern Ireland around midday, with heavy snow hitting Ireland, particularly Dublin. In England, snowfall will initially be centred around the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines before spreading throughout the day.
By 3pm on December 5, maps indicate a band of snow stretching from central Wales to the east coast of England, affecting towns and cities such as Manchester, Stoke, Leeds, and Sheffield. Up to 3cm could settle in northern England, with up to 10cm possible in the Scottish Highlands, according to the data.
The Met Office has also warned of possible snow at the start of December. Its forecast for December 1 to 10 states: 'Changeable and often unsettled conditions are expected across the UK during this period. Low pressure systems will tend to dominate meaning showers or longer spells of rain for much of the UK... The greatest chance of snow will probably be over northern high ground.'
BBC Weather's forecast for December 1 to 7 notes: 'The first week of December does not have much risk of notably cold conditions... Any sleet or snow should be confined to the higher reaches of Scotland, and risks of frost will be much reduced.' However, it adds a slight chance of a temporary shot of colder northwesterly winds by the end of the week.
