Britain is preparing for a significant winter onslaught, with new forecasts predicting blizzard conditions and snow depths of up to 10 inches across vast swathes of England next week.
Widespread Snow Warning Issued
The Met Office has already issued a Yellow warning for snow and ice for New Year's Day and Friday, but the severe weather is set to return with a vengeance. Fresh analysis from weather mapping service WXCharts indicates that a major snow event will develop from Wednesday, January 7, intensifying through the night into Thursday, January 8.
Temperatures are forecast to plummet to as low as -4°C, creating ideal conditions for snow to settle and drift in strong northerly winds. The Met Office has cautioned that "lightning may well be an additional hazard" during the blizzard conditions.
Forecasted Snow Depths and Affected Areas
The most severe accumulations are expected over high ground, where the snow could reach a depth of 27 centimetres (10.6 inches). The Lake District is predicted to see the deepest drifts. A broad band of England, stretching from the North East down through the Midlands, is forecast for double-digit centimetre depths.
Major cities including Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Manchester, Leeds, York, and Preston are all in line for significant snowfall. According to the charts, only the South West region looks likely to be spared entirely.
Flakes are expected to settle as far south as Hastings, with a centimetre or two forecast there. The Met Office warning highlights that while initial accumulations will be on higher routes, snow will build to low levels by Thursday evening, with 2 to 5cm, and locally 10cm expected by Friday morning.
Full List of Counties Under Threat
Weather maps show that 39 English counties are set to be affected by the snowfall on January 7 and 8. The full list is: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, City of London, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Durham, East Riding of Yorkshire, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Greater London, Greater Manchester, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Rutland, Shropshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear, Warwickshire, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, and Worcestershire.
Separately, the Met Office has updated a Yellow snow and ice warning for Thursday and Friday for multiple Scottish regions: Central, Tayside & Fife, Grampian, Highlands & Eilean Siar, Orkney & Shetland, and Strathclyde.
The combination of heavy snowfall and strong winds is likely to cause significant drifting, leading to severe travel disruption, potential power cuts, and risks to public safety. Authorities are urging the public to monitor forecasts and prepare for challenging conditions in the coming days.
