Britons should brace themselves for a “risk of snow” as new weather maps show temperatures plummeting to -4C in the build up to Christmas.
The UK has just been battered by Storm Bert, which had brought with it widespread chaos and left five people dead.
And while the winds and rain have subsided, the UK will take a battering again in the coming days, this time in the form of bitterly cold temperatures.
Weather charts from forecaster WXCharts, which use data from MetDesk, predict that the mercury will plummet to below freezing across many regions across the UK.
Weather charts from forecaster WXCharts predict that the mercury will plummet to below freezing across many regions across the UK
WXCharts/PA
Scotland will see the lowest chills, with -4C forecast in the Highlands, whilst Newcastle will also see a bleak -1C on Wednesday.
As the festive period draws closer, frosty conditions will continue, with the Met Office warning of a “risk of snow” across swathes of the UK.
In their forecast for December 9 to December 23, the weather forecaster said: “The start of this period looks like being largely settled, with high pressure close to if not over the UK. However as we move further into December there are signs that it will become less settled with west or northwesterly types preferred.
“These will bring some wetter and windier interludes with a risk of some snow, especially for hills in the north. These conditions look more likely to dominate towards the middle of December. Temperatures generally close to average through the period.”
WEATHER LATEST:
Lows of -4C are predicted in the Scottish highlands on Wednesday
WXCharts
Snowfall in Wolverhampton last week
PA
A series of snow and ice alerts were put in place across the country last week, as flurries fell across the country.
Travel routes were heavily disrupted in some areas, with many trains cancelled and roads closed. At Newcastle Airport, flights were disrupted due to the heavy snow.
The last snow warning, an amber alert which covered parts of Yorkshire and north east England, finished at 9am yesterday.
Approaching the weekend, the Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: “We’ll see two to four hours of heavy snow across parts of northern England and Scotland during Saturday morning.
Fresh snow covers the village of Goathland in the North York Moors National Park last week
PA
Snowy conditions in Carr Gate, West Yorkshire, last week
PA
“This snow will accumulate thick and fast, with five to 10cm at lower levels and as much as 20 to 40cm over hills accompanied by strong winds.
“You can expect blizzards over hills across northern England and Scotland, atrocious conditions for travelling and going over the hills and also the risk of power interruptions because of snow build-up on power lines.
“So all in all, a multiple hazard event as we go into Saturday morning.”
