Britain to be hit with ‘Arctic blast’ that will spread snow across the country
The snow is predicted to start in northern Scotland, before moving south.
London and other parts of southern England could see snow next Wednesday, the Met Office predicts.
Initially, freezing Arctic air is likely to hit northern Scotland on Sunday and Monday, potentially bringing with it around 10cm of snow.
The Met Office has issued a Yellow ice and snow weather warning for the area for both days.
Parts of northern Ireland, meanwhile, have been issued the same warning for Monday only, where snow is expected on higher ground and sleet at lower levels.
The ‘Arctic blast’ is then forecast to move into southern Scotland and northern England on Tuesday, with snow possible.
On Wednesday, southerners should wrap up warm as the cold air is expected to cover much of the country, with the capital among the areas ‘at risk’ of snow.
Temperatures in London could fall to as low as -4°C at night, with highs of 2°C during the day.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Chris Bulmer said: ‘Snow showers from Sunday onwards are most likely to move inland from coasts exposed to northerly winds.
‘The focus of snow showers will be over northern Scotland, but parts of the North Sea and Irish Sea coasts may also see some snow at times.
‘There are a couple of weather systems for Tuesday and Wednesday which we are keeping an eye on that bring the potential for disruptive snow for some regions.
‘With cold air firmly in place, any weather systems that move across the country next week will bringing mainly snowfall inland.
‘Models are currently showing us a variety of options for both systems and we’ll be able to add more details to in the coming days.’
Snow fell in many parts of the country, including London, on Monday, as temperatures plummeted.
And yesterday morning the mercury dropped to -5°C in Hampshire and -4°C in Suffolk.
Sub-zero temperatures are expected for many overnight ahead of a largely cold and dry Saturday.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has a cold health alert in place for the whole of England until January 18.
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: ‘The temperatures we will see leading into the weekend can rapidly have a serious impact on the health of those over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions as it increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections.
‘It is therefore vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours to ensure they are well prepared for the cold weather next week.’
This week’s cold weather followed substantial flooding across the country, with 200 flood warnings in place on Monday.
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