Residents across the West Midlands are being told to prepare for a wintry start to the New Year, with forecast maps indicating heavy snow could blanket Birmingham within days.
Significant Snowfall Predicted for Key Date
Although a white Christmas failed to materialise this year, Wednesday, January 7, 2026 has been pinpointed as a day for potential disruption. Data from WX Charts, which uses Metdesk information, shows a large band of purple on weather maps sweeping across the region, signalling the arrival of snow.
The forecast suggests snowfall will begin around 12am on January 7. For Birmingham specifically, the prediction is particularly stark, with an estimated 3.3 centimetres of snow arriving per hour at the peak of the event.
Widespread Disruption Across England and Wales
The impending cold snap is not confined to the West Midlands. The weather system is projected to stretch from the South of England all the way up to Scotland.
Areas expected to be affected alongside Birmingham include:
- Solihull
- The Black Country
- Staffordshire
- Shropshire
- Worcestershire
- Warwickshire
Large parts of western England and much of Wales also fall under the same snow warning for that date.
Met Office Issues Long-Range Warning
The detailed forecast from WX Charts aligns with a broader warning from the Met Office. In its long-range outlook covering January 2 to January 11, the national forecaster has alerted the public to incoming 'wintry showers'.
The Met Office stated that cold northerly winds will become dominant across the whole UK in the first week of January. These are expected to bring wintry showers, often of snow, to many exposed coastlines and inland areas.
The forecast explains: "Subtle day-to-day changes in wind direction from northeast to northwest will change the places most exposed to the showers, but many inland locations across central and southern areas will remain mostly dry but cold."
It also warns of "more coherent bands of rain, sleet and snow working south", which could bring a risk of prolonged wintry weather to some inland areas. A shift to slightly milder conditions from the west is anticipated towards the second half of the period.
This forecast serves as a clear indication that the UK's winter is far from over, with a potentially disruptive snowy episode on the horizon for millions.
