Britain will experience widespread snow and ice as a massive 257-mile snowstorm covering Wick to Edinburgh engulfs the country with temperatures plummeting to freezing low.
The latest weather maps show that the country will witness brutal weather conditions from Thursday (February 8).
Maps from WXCharts have turned purple for Thursday to Saturday indicating heavy snowfall for 72 hours in several parts of the country.
The sudden transition in the weather comes just one week following temperatures nearly doubling the early February average of 7C.
The wintry weather is expected to commence at 6am on Thursday in regions like Manchester and Birmingham, where accumulations of 5-6 cm of snow are likely.
However, the snowstorm will shift north, and by noon on February 9th, up to 23cm of snow could be observed in and around Newcastle, as per the latest maps. Temperatures hover around 0-1C during that period.
By Saturday (February 10), the northernmost tip of Scotland will be layered with snow as maps suggest 19-20cm in areas such as Wick, Inverness and Fort William.
The Met Office has also issued a yellow warning of snow covering Northern Ireland, north Wales and northern England from 6am on Thursday to 6am on Friday. It forecast that up to 2cm of snow is possible at lower levels, 2-5cm on ground above 200 metres, and as much as 15-25cm above 400m.
There is a risk of power cuts, travel delays and a “slight chance that some rural communities could become cut off”, the Met Office warned. The warning covers the East Midlands, East of England, North East England, North West England, Wales, West Midlands, and Yorkshire & Humber.
Met Office meteorologist Liam Eslick said most disruption this week was likely to occur on Thursday.
He said: “With the snow there is a chance that you could see some rail and air travel cancellations. If the snow does reach lower levels then we could also see some local impacts with travel disruption.”
Jim Dale, a meteorologist with British Weather Services told Express.co.uk: “Arctic air is coming in now in the north. By Wednesday middle of the night, as we go into Thursday, this is when the action starts.
“A frontal system comes from the southwest into the cold air. The point where they meet looks like it is somewhere between mid-Wales through the Midlands to about Lincolnshire.”
He added that areas north of the Midlands will see rain turning into sleet and snow on Thursday.
“The North West England, North East England, Northern Ireland, North Wales, mid-Wales, the whole of the Midlands – that is the zone of greatest potential.
“Within that, there is a hazardous area where there is likely to be deeper snow along with strong winds in the morning. That area is likely to be the Peak District, southern to central Pennines and North Wales.
“That’s where we expect to see the heaviest of snow, most of which is going to be on the higher ground.”
Today:
Dry and sunny but feeling colder than yesterday for most. Sunshine will be hazy with a cloudier picture in the far south, before rain returns to the southwest later. Sleet, hail and snow showers will continue in Scotland.
Tonight:
Rain moves into the southwest and tracks northeast through the night. Locally heavy for Wales and southern England with wintry showers continuing for Scotland. Widespread frost elsewhere.
Thursday:
Rain, sleet and snow pushes northwards as intensity decreases through the day. Most snow will be confined to north Wales, Northern Ireland and north England, especially on high ground. Sunny spells elsewhere.
Outlook for Friday to Sunday:
Largely cloudy on Friday and Saturday with some rain in the south, and wintry showers further north. Drier in the east on Sunday with light winds, cloudier in the west.
