Temperatures have exceeded 17C this week in the UK, but the weather is expected to swiftly change and get cold again — and snow is forecast for several regions as far south as the Midlands
This striking weather map shows large swathes of the UK will soon experience blizzards.
Temperatures exceeded 17C this week but the mercury is believed to plunge as a low pressure sweeps across the country. The map below shows regions as far south as the Midlands are anticipated to see snowfall on or around Monday March 16.
The heaviest of these dumpings are expected across Perth and Kinross, Stirling and East Ayrshire in Scotland, and Cumbria and County Durham in England. There are, though, white hues on across the country on the map as flurries are anticipated across the Midlands, parts of Wales and elsewhere.
The map paints a stark contrast to this week’s weather, as the mercury hit 17.8C in Porthmadog, northwest Wales. A balmy 17.6C was also recorded on Tuesday in Wiggonholt, West Sussex, the Met Office said.
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The map for Monday March 16 shows a white hue across the coastline from parts of rural Cumbria in Northwest of England to Caithness in the northern tip of Scotland, an approximate 500-mile stretch of the UK.
This big freeze is likely to cause travel disruption, pose risks on the roads and pavements, and led to powercuts. The Met Office often issues weather warnings in these cases but it is typically too soon for the agency to act at this stage. However, the Met Office does state, on its long-range forecast: “Towards the middle of March, there is still a signal for unsettled conditions to become rather more widespread.”
And temperatures will certainly drop by this period with early indications suggesting lows of -8C across the Scottish Highlands, and -5C across Dumfries and Galloway. The westerly wind will be strong too, especially along the northwest coast in both England and Scotland.
The BBC forecast for March 9 to 15 states: “Next week it looks like Atlantic systems will become more active. These will bring occasional rain and brisk winds, although aimed more at northern and western areas.
“Frontal systems will perhaps sometimes struggle to cross the southern and eastern UK as European high pressure continues to exert an influence. As a result, the south and east could have near to below-average precipitation amounts, while northern and western regions are wetter than normal, especially Northern Ireland and western Scotland.
“With the expected pattern often drawing in south-east to south-westerly flows, mild conditions are expected overall, with temperatures on average above what is expected in March. However, in between frontal systems there will be transient high pressure ridges which could bring the chance of one or two chilly and perhaps frosty or foggy nights.”
