The latest forecast from the Met Office suggests a potential arrival of a severe winter storm dubbed ‘Beast from the East’ in the UK. WX Charts’ weather maps indicate a strong high-pressure system moving from Scandinavia towards the UK by February 8, leading to a collision with a rain band and triggering significant snowfall reminiscent of the 2018 snowstorm.
The projections indicate that heavy snowfall is expected in southern England by midnight, with a broad area of snow covering the Midlands, Wales, northern England, and Scotland. Cities such as Liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle, and Edinburgh are directly in the storm’s path as two weather systems merge, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
Maps for February 17 show the possibility of snow covering the entire UK, with the Scottish Highlands likely to see accumulations of up to 54cm. The Met Office’s long-range forecast anticipates wintry conditions mainly in northern England and Scotland, particularly over elevated terrain.
From February 6 to February 15, the forecast predicts bands of rain transitioning into snow in northern England and Scotland due to colder air. The Met Office also mentions the likelihood of hill snow in northern regions throughout the month.
Unsettled weather is expected to persist this week and into the weekend, as per the Met Office. A yellow snow warning is in effect for eastern Scotland and the central belt, with potential blizzard conditions. Meanwhile, regions like Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset may experience flooding and disruption from heavy rain on saturated ground.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin highlighted the risk of further flooding in certain areas due to saturated ground and warned of snow impacting northeastern regions. Tuesday’s forecast includes cloudy skies, rain in the south, snow in central and eastern Scotland, and some brighter intervals in the northwest.
Overall, the weather will remain changeable with intermittent sunny spells and wet, occasionally windy conditions, with snow possible mainly on northern hills.
