Three days’ of blizzards could soon bring as much as 10 inches of snow to some parts of the UK, according to advanced weather modelling maps.
The ECMWF weather model shows snow first hitting the UK in the early hours of March 2 with Northern Ireland, western parts of Scotland, the north-west of England and the West Midlands all in the firing line. Greater Manchester could see snow falling at a staggering rate of 10cm per hour at around 6am, whereas 5cm per hour flurries are possible in the Lake District.
Snowstorms are tracked to sweep south-eastward throughout the day, fizzling out over East Anglia and London. The maps also show March 3 will bring more of the white stuff, predominantly to Scotland and northern parts of England where 2cm per hour flurries are possible at around 6pm.
Scattered but more intense flurries should come on March 4, according to the weather maps. The north-west of England, North Wales and some southern-central regions could see 10cm per hour flurries at around 6am. By the evening some scattered snow showers could continue in Wales and northern Scotland, but the blizzard is expected to end by March 5.
Snow depth maps for March 4 reveal the true extent of the three-day Arctic blast. Northern Scotland could see as much as 25cm (10in) settled on the ground by midday. The Pennines could see 8cm (3in). Southern parts of England could see as much as 1cm.
The Met Office has also said there is a “risk of snow” in the coming days. Its forecast for February 25 to March 6 states: “Conditions through this period are somewhat uncertain, and the detail especially so, but it is more likely than not that a mainly westerly regime will dominate the UK’s weather. It is therefore likely that further spells of mild, wet and windy weather affect the UK at times, interspersed with colder, showery conditions with a risk of some snow in the north, mainly over higher ground.
“However, there is also a chance that drier, more settled conditions develop at times, especially towards the south or southeast of the UK. Temperatures are likely to be close to or a little above average overall, although with a risk of overnight frost in between frontal systems or in association with any drier spells.”
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