New weather maps have revealed that Brits are set to see snow again in a matter of days as the cold weather returns after a brief, milder spell. Last week saw temperatures plummet to -14C, causing widespread disruption to public transport, school closures and power outages across several parts of the country.
Now, WXCharts has released maps showing more snow is expected in regions including Scotland and Northern Ireland next weekend. The website, which uses data from MetDesk, predicts further precipitation on Sunday, January 26, with up to 4cm of snow in Scotland, Wales and southwestern England in the early hours.
By 6am, parts of Northern Ireland could also be blanketed, with around 1cm expected. The snowfall is also set to intensify in Wales, where up to 8cm of snow could fall.
Around midday on January 26, snow is also expected across northern and central England, but current weather models show that south-eastern and eastern parts of the UK will be spared. WXCharts indicates that Snowdonia could see the heaviest snowfall, reaching 15cm by midday.
By the end of the day, up to 12cm of snow could fall in northern England and up to 11cm in Scotland, while snowfall will mostly clear in Northern Ireland and southern England.
The Met Office’s long-range forecast, spanning January 19 to January 28, predicts a shift towards more turbulent weather this weekend. Forecasters anticipate the arrival of frigid, dry, and potentially wintry gusts.
According to the forecast: “This period is expected to see a transition, possibly lasting over several days, between the settled, dry, and often dull conditions expected over the next few days, to something more unsettled. Sunday itself is likely to be rather cloudy and cool, with outbreaks of rain in the west drifting slowly eastwards.”
“The start of the following week will most likely see more settled conditions with light winds becoming re-established, with a chance of rain in both the far north and the far south, and a smaller chance that the rain could become more widespread. Later in the week, periods of much wetter and windier weather will most likely become more prevalent, from northwest to southeast, alternatively there is a very small chance of colder, drier, but perhaps wintry, easterly winds.”
The Department for Work and Pensions has revealed that nearly a million households in England and Wales are set to receive Cold Weather Payments due to last week’s chilly spell. The payments, triggered after seven consecutive days of sub-zero temperatures, will be distributed across more than 500 postcode areas.
Approximately 950,000 qualifying households, whose residents are receiving relevant benefits, will each receive a £25 payment. These payments were activated over the weekend and into Monday, during the tail end of the cold snap which saw temperatures drop nationwide.
Areas affected include Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Yorkshire, and further south into the West Midlands, Oxfordshire, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. So far this winter, over a million households have been eligible for Cold Weather Payments.
These payments are made to individuals in England and Wales who are on a range of benefits. Northern Ireland operates a similar scheme, while in Scotland, support for heating bills is provided every winter, regardless of specific cold weather periods.
The weather forecast predicts cloudy, murky and mild conditions in central and southeastern areas. It’s expected to be windy with some rain across northwest Scotland.
Dry with clear spells elsewhere, with patchy frost, mist and fog forming. On Thursday, the wind will continue with rain easing and turning brighter for northwest Scotland.
Cloud in the southeast spreading into Wales and southwest England. Dry with sunny spells elsewhere after early fog clears.
From Friday to Sunday, there will be some rain and often windy conditions in the northwest. Mostly cloudy central and southern England, and sometimes Wales, with hill fog and patchy drizzle.
Occasionally brighter elsewhere. Mild north, colder south.