A potential second snow blizzard is looming over major cities in the UK, including London, in the upcoming week as per updated weather forecasts. The latest models indicate a strong snow band expected to move across the nation starting early on January 9, with wintry conditions approaching as early as 6am. Projections suggest one area might experience up to fifteen inches of snow, while London could wake up to slightly over two inches.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has already issued snow and ice warnings for the current week, encompassing England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland until Sunday. The newly released maps depict the initial wave of flurries advancing into the south-east and south-west, blanketing major cities such as London, Bristol, Southampton, Plymouth, and Swansea. Simultaneously, snowfall is anticipated to spread across the Midlands, Wales, and Scotland, paving the way for a widespread wintry morning.
Regions like Shropshire, Wolverhampton, and parts of Liverpool are also poised to experience snow flurries as early as 6am, with Glasgow and the Scottish Highlands likely to witness accumulating snow. The snow band is expected to peak during the morning rush hour before tapering off and moving eastward by midday, gradually easing into the evening.
Snow coverage maps for January 10 indicate that a significant portion of the UK, potentially more than half, could encounter snow next week, encompassing all of Scotland, vast areas of the North East, and a large portion of southern England and Wales. Cities in the probable snow path include Newcastle, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Bradford, Manchester, London, Oxford, Luton, Reading, Bath, Portsmouth, Southampton, Bristol, and Plymouth. In Wales, Swansea, Cardiff, and Newport are highlighted, with Belfast expecting lighter snow showers.
Forecasts suggest varying snow depths across regions, with around 5cm settling in and around London, while 6cm is possible between Bristol and Southampton. Parts of Somerset, particularly the Taunton area, might see up to 8cm of snow. The most substantial accumulations are projected for Scotland, where the Highlands could see up to 39cm of snow, and Aberdeen may receive around 34cm, with lighter snowfall forecasted for cities like Glasgow.
According to the Met Office, the possibility of further snowfall exists in central and eastern UK regions next week, while lighter snow showers may occur in the south and west. The long-range forecast from January 6 to January 15 indicates a gradual easing of cold northerly winds by mid-week, with snow showers becoming less frequent. However, bands of rain moving in from the Atlantic could bring more snow to central and eastern areas, with potential milder interludes in the south and west and the outlook becoming uncertain from the following weekend.
