UK Braces for Extended -9C Snow Bomb as 90-Hour Blizzard Looms
New weather modelling indicates the United Kingdom is set to experience a prolonged and severe snow event, with temperatures plummeting to -9°C and a continuous snowfall lasting approximately 90 hours. According to detailed charts from WX Charts, which utilises data from the Met Desk, this significant winter weather system will bring widespread disruption across multiple regions.
Exact Timeline and Geographic Impact of the Snowfall
The meteorological data specifies that the snowfall is forecast to commence at midnight on January 27, persisting until around 6pm on January 30. During this period, the snow is expected to spread extensively, with the most severe conditions anticipated near Inverness, where accumulations could reach up to 27 inches. Numerous major urban centres are projected to be affected, including:
- Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, and London
- Southampton, Oxford, Reading, and Cambridge
- Gloucester, Leicester, Leeds, and Liverpool
- Manchester, Blackpool, Dundee, Aberdeen, and Newcastle
Additional counties at risk encompass York, Middlesbrough, Norwich, Wick, Glasgow, Perth, and Edinburgh, indicating a broad national impact.
Current Weather Context and Official Forecasts
The impending severe weather follows a period of unsettled conditions. The BBC Weather forecast for Friday, January 23, described a mix of clearer skies in the southeast alongside cloudy and showery conditions elsewhere, with rain and hill snow persisting in northeastern Scotland. Looking ahead to the period from Sunday to Tuesday, the outlook warns of:
- Mainly cloudy skies on Sunday with light, potentially wintry rain in the northeast.
- A turn to colder, cloudy conditions on Monday with wintry showers in the north-east and wet, breezy weather developing in the south-west by evening.
- Cloudy and wet weather on Tuesday, particularly across southern regions, with snow expected on higher ground.
Heightened Warnings and Additional Weather Concerns
Complementing this forecast, Netweather has highlighted very wet and windy conditions for parts of the UK in the coming days. Notably, concerns over river responses to heavy, persistent rainfall accompanied by snow-melt have prompted an upgrade to an Amber warning for inland areas of eastern Scotland. Furthermore, a separate bout of windy weather is anticipated for southwestern Britain on Friday as a low-pressure system arrives from the Bay of Biscay, adding to the complex weather picture.
This confluence of forecasts underscores a significant and challenging period of winter weather for the UK, with authorities and residents advised to prepare for potential travel disruptions, cold temperatures, and substantial snowfall across a wide geographic area.
