The UK faces a rare “purple” weather shift with a band of Arctic snow spreading across the country in maps and charts projected by WX Charts. Maps and charts published by WX Charts, which use Met Desk data, show further snowfall could materialise across the country as we head through January.
Temperatures will drop to -5C on January 26 in North West England and the mercury will also hit -4C in Wales and Scotland. Maps show widespread snow falling with 14 centimetres in northern England, too, with weather maps turning purple until January 28.
Netweather TV said: “Relative to the 1991-2020 long-term normal, temperatures are forecast to be 1 to 2C above normal in most regions, with the largest anomalies in northern Scotland, but they will probably be close to normal in parts of central and eastern England, especially towards the south-east where there is potential for some areas to be up to 1C colder than normal.
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“It is forecast to be drier than normal in most eastern parts of the UK, but precipitation totals are likely to be near normal in most western areas, and probably above normal in Northern Ireland and west Wales and south-west England.”
The week-by-week outlook, spanning January 20 onwards, went on to suggest: “Sunshine totals are forecast to be below normal for most of the UK, but probably above normal in parts of northern Scotland, sheltered from the southerly winds.”
The BBC has added that the end of January will grow increasingly wet and windy, saying: “Rain and increasing winds would become more probable, as stronger Atlantic weather systems move in. This would be a mild scenario. Certain sub-seasonal signals show some support for this trend. In view of this, only a little variability is expected later on.
“The latter would also suggest a low risk of any sustained cold. Nevertheless, cooler or colder snaps are possible behind intense low-pressure systems that bring a temporary west to north-westerly flow to parts of the UK. So, spells of sleet or wet snow cannot be ruled out, particularly across Scotland.”