Met Office warns 5 areas to be hit by snow as temperatures plunge throughout UK

Freezing conditions are set to grip the UK over the coming days as Storm Claudia moves away. A major incident has been declared following Storm Claudia’s devastation, with further downpours and flooding anticipated across Britain and Ireland today.

Natural Resources Wales had issued four severe flood warnings by 6am, indicating “significant risk to life and significant disruption to the community is expected”. But once this torrential rainfall subsides this weekend, arctic air will engulf the nation and deliver snow to millions next week.

The frigid air mass will begin arriving from the north on Sunday, spreading across the entire country by Monday, reports the Express.

Temperatures are forecast to drop to a bitter -7C in some areas, with the Met Office warning of “a risk of wintry hazards”.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Holley explained: “As Storm Claudia retreats to the south, high pressure to the northwest will drive a cold northerly flow from the Arctic across the UK.

“This will bring much colder conditions than of late and, whilst generally drier than recent days, there will also be a risk of wintry hazards, such as snow and ice.

“There will be widespread frosts across the UK, with temperatures dipping as low as -7°C in places next week, and daytime temperatures staying in single figures across the country.

“Couple this with a brisk northerly wind, and there will be a marked wind chill. This will be a notable change in our weather after a prolonged spell of above-average temperatures.

“People should keep an eye on the forecast in their area, as it is possible that warnings may be issued for snow and ice at times.”

BBC Weather explains that the significant drop in temperature is due to a shift in wind direction, predicting snowfall in five regions.

An Atlantic weather system moving into the cold air on Tuesday could result in snow over Scotland and northern England, potentially spreading to the Midlands and south-east England by Wednesday morning.

The five UK regions most likely to experience snow are:

• Northern Scotland
• Northern Ireland
• The North Yorkshire Moors
• West Wales
• The moors of south-west England

A spokesperson for BBC Weather stated: “An Atlantic weather system coming into the cold air on Tuesday could bring some snow inland over Scotland and northern England. This could briefly spread to the Midlands and south-east England on Wednesday morning.”

However, it remains uncertain whether this snow will settle.