A major winter weather system is poised to hit England next week, with forecasters predicting significant snowfall across 11 counties. The event, described as a 'snow bomb', is expected to arrive on Tuesday, January 27.
Which Areas Will Be Affected?
According to data from WX Charts, which utilises information from Met Desk, a swathe of southern and western England is set to be blanketed. The charts for 6pm on Tuesday indicate temperatures could plunge to around -2°C in parts of the UK.
The counties identified for potential snowfall are:
- Hampshire
- Sussex
- Kent
- Surrey
- Somerset
- Herefordshire
- Gloucestershire
- Devon
- Dorset
- Cornwall
- Wiltshire
This means major urban centres including Portsmouth, Southampton, Exeter, Winchester, Chichester, Gloucester, Bristol, Hereford, and Wells could all see disruptive accumulations.
The Cause of the Incoming Snow
Meteorologists explain that this snow bomb will result from a collision of weather systems. A wall of moisture from the Atlantic is forecast to meet high pressure that has been pushed towards UK shores from the European continent, including Scandinavia and eastern Europe.
Uncertainty in the Longer-Range Forecast
In a broader update for the UK, Jo Farrow from Netweather TV highlighted the current Atlantic-dominated pattern bringing wet and windy conditions. However, she noted ongoing speculation about the potential for deeper cold from Russia to reach the UK later in the month.
"The jury is still out on this with plenty of swaying and disagreement on the models," Farrow stated. "The ECMWF model shows a colder easterly turn through the weekend but a northerly chill by next Thursday. The GFS is slower with cold air from the east reaching across the North Sea by next Monday."
She added that either scenario could bring snow, whether as showers from the North Sea or more widespread snowfall if an incoming frontal band meets the colder air. "A lot of ifs and buts in all of this," she concluded, emphasising the uncertainty in the longer-term outlook beyond Tuesday's expected event.
Residents in the affected counties are advised to monitor the latest weather warnings from the Met Office and prepare for potential travel disruption as the snow bomb approaches.
