Advanced weather modelling maps show a 1,000km Atlantic storm will bring torrential rain and 32cm of snow to the UK later this month. Despite a return to more mild conditions this week, weather experts have warned of a “major spell of cold weather and widespread snow” to come before March.
Forecasts indicate the period of wild weather will last for several days, with initial wet periods turning into chillier conditions for parts of the UK next week. Fog and chilly flows of wind are expected. WX Charts maps show a weather front moving in from the Atlantic on Saturday, February 24, bringing snow to the northern half of the country and rain in the south.
Snow depth charts show as much as 32cm could settle in the hills in Scotland, although Wales and parts of northern England can also expect some of the white stuff too.
A BBC Weather report for next week indicates “high pressure” will be pierced by “Atlantic frontal systems”. It reads: “Through midweek, high pressure is expected to recede, so there will be a higher chance of active frontal systems bringing rain from the west, which could be heavy in places.
“Chillier north-westerly flows should follow later next week, with temperatures dropping closer to seasonal, even a shade below in Scotland, where wintry showers will become more likely.”
Atlantic storms could be followed up by “snow across large parts of the country”. Exacta Weather’s James Madden said: “Confirmation is now also starting to come in from elsewhere, and the main third-party computer models are also coming on board with a major spell of cold weather and widespread snow across large parts of the country for in and around the middle part of next week and onwards.
“Initially, it looks like these colder conditions will come from some cold northerly/northwesterly winds and a further evolution and the influence of something more substantial from the east is also still very plausible in this period and heading into March.”