UK Snow Maps Reveal Widespread Flurries Expected on Friday
New weather forecasting maps indicate that several parts of the United Kingdom, including London, are set to experience snow on Friday. According to the Met Office, a significant shift in air mass will bring considerably colder conditions, with frequent showers turning to snow in many areas.
Snowfall Predictions Across Key Regions
The ECMWF weather model suggests that cities such as London, Birmingham, Plymouth, Stoke-on-Trent, Swansea, Belfast, and Glasgow, along with their surrounding areas, could see snow or ice on Friday. Maps show extensive purple shading over parts of Northern Ireland, with accumulations expected in County Antrim, including Belfast, County Tyrone, and Londonderry by 9am.
In England, snow is anticipated to fall over the Pennines and the Lake District overnight before expanding southward. Residents in parts of London, west Cornwall, north Devon, and the outskirts of Bristol may witness snow. By the afternoon, the snow is expected to clear in these areas, except for south-west England.
Met Office Issues Cold Weather Warning
Annie Shuttleworth, a meteorologist with the Met Office, stated in a forecast that Thursday night into Friday will bring a "very different feel" to the weather. She emphasized that it will be "considerably colder" to start the day, with patchy frost in sheltered areas and strong winds. Showers in northwestern areas are likely to fall as snow to around 200 meters, mixing with hail and bringing a risk of ice through Friday and into Saturday morning.
Weather maps from the Met Office depict a messy outlook for Friday, with white hues indicating snow across the Northwest of England, north Wales, and parts of Scotland, and blue hues covering other regions like the Southwest of England.
Long-Range Forecast and Regional Impacts
Areas in central England, including Lincolnshire and Staffordshire, could see snowfall in the afternoon, as well as parts of Wales like Swansea. In the evening, snow is expected to continue over large parts of Scotland and North West England.
For the period from March 14 to March 23, the Met Office's long-range forecast predicts "mostly changeable" conditions, with Atlantic frontal systems bringing spells of rain, particularly in the west and northwest, potentially accompanied by strong winds. Drier interludes are expected in the south and east, with temperatures near average overall but colder spells possible, leading to frost and hill snow.
Ms. Shuttleworth added that wherever you are, it will feel "chilly quite widely," with temperatures in single figures during the day, and the unsettled theme persisting into the weekend.
