The UK is set to be covered in snow just in time for Christmas as a 400-mile snowstorm is set to blanket the country just hours before the big day, according to the latest weather maps
The UK could be waking up to a white Christmas as the nation prepares for a 400-mile snowstorm predicted to strike just hours before the festive day but in London it will just be raining.
WXCHARTS weather maps have turned into various hues of purple, red, yellow, and blue, signalling that snow and rain are coming.
This boosts hopes that both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day could be covered in festive flakes. At 6pm on Christmas Eve, a storm is expected to engulf almost all of the UK, with severe weather stretching from Wick in Scotland to Birmingham.
Scotland is set to bear the brunt of the snowfall, with up to 4cm of the white stuff potentially falling per hour. Major cities, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, are likely to be enveloped in the wintry spell.
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England won’t miss out on the snowy spectacle, with snow depths of 2cm forecasted in the North West. However, whether it will stick remains uncertain as both the North West and North East are set to receive a deluge of rain with up to 2mm of rain per hour predicted.
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The West Midlands, particularly Birmingham, could also witness snowfall. Wales will be drenched in rain, and the country will barely be visible on the latest weather maps.
Cardiff is expected to see rain depths reach 5mm per hour, while other areas could reach 6mm. Although the South West won’t experience rain as severely as Wales, the region will still face a battering.
Parts of Cornwall are set to receive a maximum of 2mm of rain per hour.
London, the South East and the East of England are all set to dodge the impending snowstorm, with these regions likely to avoid the harsh Christmas weather. However, Londoners can expect a smattering of rain at midnight on Christmas Day.
In a separate update for the period from Christmas Eve until January 7, the Met Office has warned that “some sleet and snow is likely at times, especially on high ground in the north”. During this time, “unsettled conditions appear likely for most, with spells of wind and rain followed by showers affecting most areas but especially the north and northwest of the UK”.
However, there are indications that more settled conditions may occur, “these perhaps most likely across the south late in December or into early January”. Temperatures are expected to be around average overall.
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