Snow could cut communities off, warns Met

A BAND of snow across parts of England could cut off rural communities this week, the Met Office has warned.

Most of northern England, Wales and the Midlands are under a yellow weather warning for snow as cold air from the north cuts temperatures.

The snow could trigger power cuts and cut off rural communities, the weather service warned, and rail and air travel disruption is also likely.

Chris Almond, deputy chief meteorologist, said: “It’s from Thursday that the snow risk becomes more potentially impactful, as mild air attempts to move back in from the south, bumping into the cold air and increasing the chance of snow developing on the leading edge.”

The initial snow risk is highest in northern England and Wales from Thursday, with 1-2cm possible on low levels and up to 20cm over high ground.

The Met said the snow could transition from sleet and rain later on from the south. The yellow weather warning for snow runs from 3am on Thursday to 3am on Friday and stretches from Cumbria and the Scottish border down to Cambridgeshire and the Midlands.

All of northern and central Wales, including Anglesey, is included.

“The initial snow risk looks highest in northern England and Wales from Thursday,” Mr Almond said.

Western Scotland, and much of England and Wales is expected to have rain today, which will largely clear by tomorrow. The snow comes during the busiest storm season since the UK began naming storms in 2015.

Jocelyn became the tenth named storm in five months when it hit in late January with gusts of 97mph. The Met Office said yesterday that February could be “remarkable on many fronts”, as a mild and wet start changes to very cold air from Scandinavia.

Paul Davies, principal meteorologist, said sea temperatures off the northwest African coast “are currently comparable to values more typical for July”.

He added that the end of the week would bring “winds switching north and drawing very cold air from the Arctic, initially arriving across Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England later this week and then heading further south into southern England”.

He added: “This may mean a significant contrast between the recent weekend, and next weekend with spring-like conditions one weekend and the potential for wintry hazards, especially in those regions susceptible to east and north-easterly winds across northern parts of the UK next weekend.”