The UK faces a sharp plunge in temperatures this week, with snow forecast across northern and western Scotland and heavy rain set to batter the rest of the country
Grim weather maps reveal the UK is bracing itself for a massive blanket of snow and rain set to sweep across the nation. Britain is set to endure a bout of ferocious weather following a dramatic plunge in temperatures, as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issues its first cold-health alert of the winter.
Temperatures are forecast to nosedive to as low as -7C overnight in some areas, a stark contrast to the 14C recorded on Tuesday in Camborne, Cornwall. Weather maps produced by experts at WXCharts indicate that locations stretching from Fort William in Scotland all the way down to Cornwall in England are set to be gripped by freezing conditions.
Communities are being urged to prepare for the bone-chilling cold snap from Tuesday November 17. Snow is expected to descend on parts of northern and western Scotland, including Fort William, Glasgow and Inverness, while torrential rainfall looks set to lash the rest of the UK.
Forecasters warn that temperatures are set to plummet to -7C around Fort William, while other parts of Scotland, including Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh, are anticipated to shiver in temperatures ranging between -3C and -5C, according to the maps, reports the Mirror.
This follows the UKHSA issuing a yellow cold health alert for the Northwest of England and West Midlands from 9am on Thursday to midday on Saturday, reports the Express. The agency warned that plummeting temperatures could heap additional pressure on health and care services, urging the public to keep a watchful eye on loved ones and neighbours.
Temperatures are set to plummet well below the seasonal norm by Thursday and Friday, with widespread frost expected across large swathes of the nation.
In certain sheltered rural locations particularly susceptible to freezing conditions, thermometers could drop as low as -6C or -7C. Overnight frost is forecast for multiple areas, particularly across the British countryside, although these icy conditions are expected to retreat mainly to southern parts as the weekend progresses.
The Met Office’s long-range outlook for November 16 to 25 states: “Following the tail end of the colder, more settled conditions seen over the weekend, a marked transition to more changeable conditions is expected at the start of the period.
“This will allow areas of low pressure to move in from the Atlantic and bring bands of rain and periods of windy weather. There will be some brighter, showery spells in-between however, particularly in the north.
“Overall, this period is likely to be wetter than average for the majority of the country. And whilst colder conditions will be possible at times, it will often be mild, with temperatures near or a little above average for the time of year.”