The United Kingdom is preparing for a dramatic and icy start to the New Year, with forecasters predicting a severe Arctic blast that will send temperatures plummeting to a bone-chilling -9°C. The most intense period of this cold snap, described as a 'snow bomb', is expected to last for around six hours.
January 3: The Date of the Deep Freeze
According to data from WX Charts, which utilises information from the Met Desk, Friday, January 3, 2025, has been pinpointed as the day the severe weather will take hold. The modelling, based on the GFS system and supported by Netweather TV charts, indicates a powerful surge of Arctic air will envelop the nation, leaving towns and cities shivering in its wake.
Regional Impacts: Scotland Bears the Brunt
The cold weather will not be felt evenly across the UK. Scotland is forecast to be the worst-hit region, experiencing the most extreme conditions. The Highlands and the area of Perth and Kinross are likely to see temperatures begin their sharp descent in the early hours of the morning.
More widely, parts of Stirling and Argyll and Bute could see the mercury drop as low as -8°C. The rest of Scotland is expected to face a significant cold snap with temperatures ranging between -2°C and -4°C.
In England, the coldest conditions are anticipated in Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West, where temperatures could reach -4°C. Meanwhile, Greater London and the Home Counties will see milder, though still frosty, lows of between -1°C and -2°C.
Timing and Wintry Prospects
The core of this intense cold spell is predicted to last for approximately six hours. The window between 3am and 9am on January 3 is shown to have the most severe conditions. During this time, WX Charts maps display blotches of white and grey, which are indicators of potential snow accumulations, raising the prospect of disruptive wintriness for some areas.
Looking at the immediate forecast leading up to the New Year's freeze, the BBC Weather team offers a drier picture. They state that Christmas Eve will be dry with cloud moving in from the North Sea, though the west and far south may see brighter spells. It will be windy in the south, particularly along the English Channel.
Christmas Day is expected to be dry and chillier with plenty of wintry sunshine for many, albeit with cloudier skies in the north-east. The breeze will persist in the south.
The period from Friday to Saturday looks set to remain dry, chilly, and settled. Areas of cloud may drift in from the north-east at times, but conditions should stay brighter in the south and west of the country.
