A new wave of winter weather could hit large swaths of the UK in just a few days, with cold air from Scotland creeping into northern parts of England.
The next flurry of potentially destructive snow and ice moving in from the northwest could begin as early as midnight on January 28, according to forecasters WXCharts.
Snow depths have risen to around 14cm in the Scottish Highlands, Loch Ness and Fort William, with severe seasonal storms blowing into the north-east, north-west and North Yorkshire, and in Newcastle, Carlisle, Middlesbrough and Blackpool. There is a risk that snowfall will accelerate. .
Snow is expected to continue falling across some 393 miles of north-west England into the next day, with snow expected to continue to fall along the Irish Sea coast.
A new round of winter weather is expected to pass through Scotland, with mercury temperatures expected to hover around 0C and lows around 1C in northern England.
By 6pm on January 28, the bulk of the snowfall will be concentrated in central Scotland and the Highlands, with snow near Northallerton in Yorkshire beginning to be washed away by rain arriving from the east.
The late January snowstorm comes after a decidedly chilly and blank start to the year, with weather-related disruptions earlier this month grounding flights and disrupting road and rail travel.
Britain also recorded the coldest January night in 15 years, with overnight temperatures dropping to -18.9C in Altnahalla, Scotland, on January 11.
Due to strong rain and wind forecasts, the Environment Agency has issued flood warnings and warnings for most areas of the country for the beginning of 2025, but as of 7:30 a.m. on January 17th, only one flood warning has been issued. There were only 16 cases.
Temperatures have returned to an average monthly high of 7C in the UK, but the Met Office has warned that an even wilder pattern could be in store by the end of January.
The forecaster warned that late next week “more wet and windy weather will become prevalent from the northwest to the southeast” with cold southeasterly winds.
“There is a small chance that the winds will turn further easterly and colder, creating a risk of snow showers,” the spokesperson concluded.
today:
Light rain and clouds are occurring across Scotland and Northern Ireland. Most parts of England will be chilly and windy, but conditions are expected to remain dry.
tonight:
Rain and wind will continue in northern Scotland overnight, before clearing early tomorrow morning. It will remain cloudy with patchy frost in some areas.
Saturday:
Most parts of the country will experience dry and cloudy weather, with some sunshine in the north and west. Temperatures are becoming milder in the northern regions and cooler in the southern regions.
Outlook from Sunday to Tuesday:
Sunday will be cool and cloudy with rain expected later in the day in western areas. The scattered rain and cloud trend will continue throughout next week, moving south in an irregular pattern.
