The UK is preparing for its first significant cold snap of the season, with the Met Office pinpointing 39 specific areas that could see substantial snowfall starting Wednesday, November 19. Forecasters warn that some regions may witness accumulations of up to 25 centimetres as Arctic air sweeps across the nation.
Widespread Weather Warnings Issued
The national forecaster has implemented a series of yellow and amber weather warnings for snow and ice, extending across large portions of the country. Northern Scotland is under a yellow alert from 6pm Tuesday until 9pm Thursday. Similarly, much of north-east England and Yorkshire will be under a yellow warning from midnight Wednesday until 11:59pm on Thursday.
This comes after parts of Scotland already experienced snowfall on Tuesday, November 18, signalling a sharp temperature drop that is set to continue.
Regional Impacts and Expected Snowfall
While conditions will vary significantly across the UK, the Met Office indicates that snow is likely to settle in many of the warned areas. Wintry showers will be most frequent in regions exposed to the northerly wind.
Met Office Chief Forecaster, Neil Armstrong, stated: "Cold Arctic air from the north is firmly in charge of the UK’s weather, bringing the first notable cold snap of this autumn and giving an early taste of winter weather."
He further detailed the expected accumulations: "Whilst not all places will see lying snow, where showers are most frequent accumulations of 2-5cm will be possible. On higher ground in Scotland 15-20cm could accumulate and potentially as much as 15-25cm over the North York Moors and Yorkshire Wolds."
Full List of Affected Areas
The following regions and local authorities have been identified by the Met Office as being at risk:
- Central, Tayside & Fife: Angus, Perth and Kinross
- Grampian: Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
- Highlands & Eilean Siar: Na h-Eileanan Siar, Highland
- Orkney & Shetland: Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands
- Strathclyde: Argyll and Bute
- Northern Ireland: County Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Tyrone
- North East England: Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland
- SW Scotland, Lothian Borders: Scottish Borders
- Yorkshire & Humber: East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston upon Hull, North Yorkshire
- South West England: Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth
- Wales: Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Swansea
The Met Office has emphasised that the cold weather is likely to cause significant disruption. Icy conditions and snow can lead to dangerous driving situations and travel delays. The public is urged to stay updated on the latest forecasts and to take necessary precautions to keep themselves and their families safe during this early winter weather event.
