A significant Arctic blizzard is approaching the UK, with most regions expected to witness heavy snowfall in the coming days. The GFS weather model indicates that snow will initially fall in the northern and western parts of Scotland on January 7 before moving southward to affect various cities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
By 6 pm on January 8, snow showers are projected to impact large areas of Wales and Northern Ireland, with light snowfall likely in the northeast of England. Subsequently, at midnight on January 8, southern England, including Bristol, Yorkshire, the Midlands, parts of Wales, and northeastern Scotland, are anticipated to experience significant snowfall.
London may face snowfall by the morning of January 9 as the weather system progresses southward across southern England. Intense snow showers are also expected in the northeast around 9 am. Later on January 9, heavy snowfall is forecasted in northern England, with cities like Manchester and regions like North Wales likely to witness snowfall by evening.
Snow coverage maps illustrate the widespread impact of the blizzard, with cities such as London, Southampton, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Belfast, Leeds, Newcastle, and Edinburgh expected to be covered in snow by 9 pm on January 9. The data suggests that up to 20cm of snow could accumulate in the Cairngorms National Park, while northern England and Wales may receive 7cm and 4cm of snow respectively.
The Met Office has warned of potential snowfall at lower levels in the beginning of the upcoming month. Their forecast for January 1 to January 10 indicates a transition to a cold, showery, northerly flow, with wintry conditions possible, including snow at low levels in coastal areas. Temperatures are expected to be below average initially but may trend towards average or slightly above average later in the period.