Exclusive:
January has so far brought snow, ice and bitterly cold temperatures – and that will continue as the month draws to an end, maps suggest.
More flurries of snow and brief interludes of sub-zero temperatures are to be expected later this month, the latest weather maps show.
New GFS runs by WXCHARTS give an insight into how the rest of January could look, after an Arctic start to 2025 just last week. Despite the mercury somewhat recovering, it looks set to peak and dip for the rest of this month. On January 28, a substantial flurry from the east is set to barrel towards Britain, caking central Scotland, as far north as Inverness, with 2-3cm of snow, and potentially some higher ground in the north, as far down as Manchester.
This could be set to worsen across the Scottish Highlands from January 30, with up to 20cm of snow expected. Jim Dale, a senior meteorologist for British Weather Services, said there’s no current indication it’ll be as widespread as seen just last week. He added: “It’s not like the last one as far as I can see forward. Yes, there will be some snow for the Highlands later this month but nothing out of kilter for the time of year. Call it the calm before the storms.”
He confirmed current snow depicted on weather maps is “fleeting”, but like with any forecast, details remain scant until closer to the time.
What does the Met Office say?
The Met Office, however, is not ruling out the return of snow. In its long-range forecast, updated daily, from Monday, January 20 to Wednesday, January 29, there remains a risk. It says in full: “The early part of next week will see fairly quiet, and for most, dry weather with variable amounts of cloud and often light winds. The greatest chance of any rain is likely to be in the far northwest of the UK, and possibly as well in the far south.
“There is a small chance rain could become more widespread, and temperatures are expected to be around average. Later in the week, periods of much wetter and windier weather will most likely eventually become more prevalent, from northwest to southeast. Ahead of this a colder, more settled south-easterly wind may develop for a time. There is a small chance however, that alternatively winds could turn much more easterly, and colder, bring the risk of snow showers.”
Looking right up until February 12, the Met Office predicts a somewhat milder period, but said that “brief colder spells with associated frost, ice and snow remains, following any deep lows crossing the region.”
