Cold blast for the end of the week by Jay Wynne
Questions and Answers on the weather this week
Q What is happening with the weather this week?
A It has been cold for several days now with widespread frosts. We will see a further change later this week as a very cold northerly wind blasts straight from the Arctic. This will make it feel much colder and bring the possibility of snow to most areas. However, the fog problems will disappear as the wind picks up through the week.
Q What areas are affected?
A All parts of the UK could see some snow. At this stage, Scotland, Northern Ireland, south-western England and Wales look like getting the worst of the weather, but forecasters are also monitoring the situation as places like the Midlands, east and south-east England could experience disruption due to the weather. Blizzard conditions may exist for a time over higher ground.
Q. How much snow are we talking about?
A Up to 20cm could fall over high ground, but with strong winds giving blizzard conditions, widespread drifting of the snow is likely. At lower levels, where many of us live, a covering of snow is possible anywhere, with two to five cms in the worst-affected areas.
Q. What do you mean by worst-affected areas?
A. At this stage it is difficult to say where the snow will be heaviest. Subtle developments in the atmosphere through this week will decide where the snow falls most.
Q. What will the temperature be doing?
A. Temperatures will remain low this week with widespread night-time frosts. Generally, at nights we should see the thermometer dipping to around zero to -2°C in the cities (and even colder in rural areas) with daytime temperatures reaching a high of around 3 to 4°C. On Friday, it will feel more like -5 to -10°C in most of the towns and cities across the UK due to the strength of the wind.
Q. What advice are you giving?
A. The Met Office is working with agencies and Government departments to help mitigate the effects of the cold weather. Individuals should always check the latest weather forecast. It’s also very important to check the up-to-date travel conditions.
Q. Is this the start of the cold winter that you have been forecasting?
A. The Met Office is saying that a colder–than-average winter is likely this year, but the winter months will probably be a mix of cold snaps with warmer interludes. In the UK it is rare for the weather to be static for long periods of time, so we will see several changes of weather type through the coming season. The weather we are forecasting this week is not that unusual for this time of year — we would expect to see this type of situation set itself up a few times through a typical winter.
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