The United Kingdom is preparing for a significant and prolonged wintry assault, with forecasters predicting a 36-hour blizzard set to hammer the country from January 8 into January 9. Advanced weather modelling indicates that sixteen counties across England will bear the brunt of the heavy snow, with maps showing a stark white, blue, and grey sweep across the nation.
Counties in the Path of the Snowstorm
According to data from WX Charts, which utilises Met Desk information and the GFS system, a wide swathe of England is set to be impacted. The counties highlighted for the most severe conditions include Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, and Norfolk. Further south, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and the West Midlands are also on alert.
The advanced modelling suggests the snowfall will be extensive. Other areas bracing for a blanket of snow include Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, Lancashire, Kent, Hampshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Cambridgeshire.
Timeline and Expected Accumulations
The event is forecast to begin in the early hours of January 8, with snow starting around 6am in Cumbria, Lancashire, and northern Wales. Some regions could see snowfall rates of up to 1.6 inches (4cm) per hour. By 6pm on the same day, the wintry conditions are expected to have reached Monmouthshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, and Manchester.
The snow is then predicted to push further southwards. By midnight on Friday, January 9, it is set to cover areas from Birmingham and Norwich down to Cambridgeshire and as far south as Hampshire.
Expert Forecast: A Prolonged Cold and Snowy Spell
James Madden from Exacta Weather has provided a detailed analysis, indicating this event is part of a broader pattern. He states that the first snow showers will form across parts of the far north and Scotland around New Year's Eve evening, spreading southwards on New Year's Day.
"During the evening of the first day of the New Year and into the 2nd January will see swathes of heavy snow sweeping across some large parts of the country," Madden said. He expects the heaviest snow initially in the north before it becomes more widespread across northern and north-east England, Northern Ireland, and western Ireland.
The risk is then set to "heighten significantly" from the early hours of Friday, January 2, transferring to central, southern, and eastern parts of England and Wales. Madden warned that "varying levels of snow and heavy snow warnings will be issued for many regions" from later next week into the weekend.
A Foreseeable Future of Wintry Weather
Importantly, this disruptive weather is not expected to be a one-off. James Madden suggests the cold and snowy conditions are likely to be the "continuing theme for the foreseeable future and until at least around January 10/11th." Any brief breakdown to milder conditions around that time is expected to be temporary, with "more waves of snow likely to follow."
He attributes this pattern to atmospheric disturbances and ocean behavioural trends, which have created a favourable setup for repeated cold and snowy events throughout January. The UK is now firmly on alert for a sustained period of challenging winter weather that will test transport networks and communities across multiple regions.
