The UK is set to be blasted with snow and freezing rain as gales rush in from Scandinavia and the Atlantic this weekend.
Temperatures are expected to tumble below zero between this morning and Sunday, with forecasters predicting parts of the UK could see the rare phenomenon of freezing rain.
The southwest of England was the first hit with torrents earlier today but the weather front is expected to sweep upwards through the UK. In Wales overnight, conditions will be ripe for the beautiful but dangerous precipitation to form.
Tomorrow, howling winds that formed in Scandinavia will join the heavy rains beating down on northern England and Scotland. People in south and central England should also expect rainfall tomorrow.
On Sunday, the sub-zero temperatures look set to turn the rain into sleet and snow, with the Pennines region and Scottish Islands most likely to be hit with the white stuff. There is also a small chance of hail in some regions.
A spokesman for the Met Office said: “That’s not forecast to bring any real accumulation. So falling snow, nothing much. This is most likely over higher ground in Scotland and northern England, so the northern parts of the Pennines.
“We could see one to two centimetres in the north Pennines, potentially up to a few centimetres in the Grampians. So not huge amounts. We could see falling snow to lower elevations in the north of England. But it’s unlikely to settle.”
The forecasts mention an ultra-rare weather phenomenon which we rarely see in the UK. On impact with a cold surface, freezing rain creates a stunning visual display as it encases the object it touches with a layer of clear ice. The weather event is so rare because it required very specific conditions.
Though beautiful to look at, the freak precipitation comes with a more serious risk. At times, the ice can become so heavy that it can bring down trees and power lines.
It also increases the risk for road users, as it turns them into an “ice rink”, the Met Office said, adding that it is also “extremely hazardous” for aircraft.
Freezing rain is most commonly seen in other parts of the world. It’s far more common in the USA, where Americans refer to them as “ice storms”.
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