New weather maps have turned dark purple as they predict a swirling mass of heavy snow that will batter the UK.
The WXCharts maps for January 17 show the heavy snow sitting above parts of southwest England, East Anglia, the Midlands, parts of Wales, and large swathes of the Irish Sea.
According to the maps, there could be around one to five centimetres of snow per hour as the country is once again battered by heavy snow that could cause travel disruption across the UK.
Other maps also show a very high probability of snow for most of the UK with the northernmost parts of Scotland given a 60 to 70 percent chance of snowfall.
In southern parts of the UK, the probability falls to around 10 to 20 percent for London and the likes of Cornwall, Devon, Kent, and Sussex.
While the probability of snow in the middle of January looks high, the rest of the country has been suffering through chilly conditions today as snow covers countryside towns and villages across the UK.
Chief Forecaster for the Met Office Paul Gundersen said any settling snow could be limited to higher ground at first, but that it might settle in lower-lying areas later.
He explained: “High pressure is dominating our weather, sitting up to the northeast. That will bring a real chill across the south but also bring in some snow showers across southern areas of England and south Wales.
“Settling snow will be mainly confined to high ground at first, and most parts will see very little, but small accumulations are possible from late afternoon and through the first half of the night.”
As the snow thickens in some parts of the country, the RAC has warned drivers to be careful. Speaking to the Telegraph, a spokesperson warned that the cold weather will have a long-term impact.
They explained: “Unfortunately, sub-zero temperatures mean even more potholes will appear in the coming weeks as already wet roads freeze and crack.
“After a relatively mild Christmas, drivers need to ensure they’re prepared for potentially icy roads during the first full week back at work – especially in the North and southwest of England and the West and East Midlands where conditions are expected to be worst.”
Speaking to the Mail about driving in the snow, Aviva’s Martin Smith advised: “While we all want to get to our next destination as quickly as possible, it pays to be safe, particularly as the risk of an accident typically increases during the winter months.”
On the forecast for January 13 to January 22, the Met Office predicted: “Cloudy, with patchy light rain or drizzle for central and southern areas, although many areas staying largely dry. Sunny spells and scattered showers, wintry in places, further north, most frequent along coasts.
“Winds will be light with temperatures likely to be a little below average. Into the start of the following week, it is likely to turn colder as northerly winds begin to develop across the UK and bring a risk of snow showers, particularly across the north.
“Further bands of light rain and drizzle may also sink south at times. There is a very small risk of a period of snow across some southern areas for a time.
“Confidence is low through the rest of this period, but an increased chance of unsettled conditions returning from the west.”
