Easter snow set to blanket UK in 10 cities on Sunday – full list | Weather | News
If you think spring is in full swing, April’s weather may be about to deceive you. Britons are bracing for a sudden cold snap this Easter weekend, with some forecasts suggesting snow could return to parts of the UK as early as Sunday 5 April.
WXCharts’ fresh weather maps show the Arctic air will bring heavy downpours and even snow in some areas. The maps reveal the north-south divide; As usual, Scotland is expected to bear the brunt of the cold conditions. The Scottish Highlands look set to see the heaviest snowfall, with depths of up to 13cm. Accumulations of 3-7cm are possible elsewhere in central and southern Scotland.
In North West England, particularly in upland areas such as the Pennines, snow may settle briefly, with 1-4cm falling in the most exposed areas.
Graphs show around 10 cities in England could see brief snowfall. These include Glasgow, Stirling, Edinburgh, Blackpool, Preston, Bolton, Bradford, Lancaster, Liverpool and Swansea, which are at risk of short-term storms.
Despite dramatic graphics circulating online, London and much of the South are expected to miss out on significant snowfall. It is predicted that temperatures will remain above freezing in the capital and most of the precipitation will fall in the form of rain or sleet rather than snow.
The cold air flow is driven by a low pressure system that drags cold winds downward from the Arctic, temporarily replacing the milder conditions seen in recent days. Meteorologists often refer to this pattern as ‘idiot spring’; Here warmer weather is abruptly interrupted by late-season cold snaps.
For many in the South, this may be more like a cold and stormy spring day. But further north, the Easter weekend could bring a brief and unexpected return to winter.
The Met Office’s long-range forecast, covering April 4-April 13, says: “Unstable conditions are increasingly likely to affect the UK over the Easter Holiday weekend, with the potential for strong winds and heavy rain at times. The wettest and windiest weather is more likely to be in the west and north of the country.”
“Beyond Easter, a broad northwest-southeast divide is likely, but the extent of high pressure in southern areas is uncertain. However, northern and western areas are more likely to remain fairly unstable overall, showing more wind and rain impacts, and areas further southeast should see the best of drier, clearer interludes. Temperatures are likely to be fairly close to average overall, although occasional warmer spells are possible in the south.”
