Recent weather maps indicate that the UK will experience snowfall along with heavy rain, with wintry conditions persisting through the weekend. Over the past two days, significant snowfall has been recorded in various parts of the country, with some areas receiving up to 7cm of snow as temperatures drop to very low levels. The snowfall, particularly over elevated terrains, is expected to continue through the evening before shifting to scattered showers off the southwest coast and gradually dissipating over water by early Friday morning.
As the day progresses, the snow flurries will transition into rainy showers, becoming more intense as the weekend nears, culminating in a wall of rain sweeping in from the west coast. According to the latest WXCharts data, a weather system combining snow and rain will reach Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland around midday on Friday. Subsequently, up to 4mm of rain is forecasted to fall over the Scottish Highlands and the west coast of the UK, with Glasgow potentially experiencing 5mm per hour by 9pm.
Similar rain levels are expected in Belfast, while the rest of Northern Ireland may see around 0.4mm of precipitation, as indicated by WXCharts. Other regions will receive the rain a few hours later on Saturday morning, with areas like Blackpool, Manchester, Bristol, and Swansea expected to have around 2mm of rainfall per hour. Some nearby locations may witness brief snowfall, with Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent likely to experience up to 15mm per hour in the heaviest patches, tapering off by noon.
The rainy conditions are anticipated to ease after midday, affecting London and the southeast for several hours before moving off the east coast by 9pm. During this period, rainfall ranging from 0.4mm to 5mm is projected for London, Norwich, Ipswich, Southampton, and surrounding areas. At its peak, the extensive band of rain will cover most of the UK, stretching from Aberdeen in Scotland to Plymouth in the south, maintaining cold temperatures between -1C and 0C on Friday and Saturday even as the snow diminishes.
Concerns about potential flooding have been raised in certain regions, with flood alerts issued for parts of the country as of November 20. These amber warnings, advising preparedness due to possible flooding, primarily impact areas in the west country where the River Severn’s water levels have risen following recent rain.
The Met Office’s forecast for Saturday through Monday suggests the eastward spread of rain on Saturday, with conditions becoming milder but windy over the weekend, accompanied by further rain or showers on Sunday and Monday, interspersed with occasional brighter spells.
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