The much-discussed Beast from the East weather event appears to be arriving sooner than previously anticipated, according to the latest updates from the Met Office. Competing forecasters such as WX Charts, Ventusky, and Netweather TV have released maps and charts indicating a fresh wave of snow could sweep across the UK in the near future.
Temperatures are expected to plunge to as low as -12°C by early February, with snowfall predicted in regions across England and beyond—just weeks after the nation experienced the effects of Storm Goretti.
The cold snap is forecast to begin around January 30, consistent with earlier predictions pointing toward January 31 for the onset of the wintry conditions.
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Weather maps reveal a vast swath of snow covering a broad area, stretching from Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia all the way to Pembrokeshire in Wales. The snow is expected to blanket regions north of London, setting the stage for what the Met Office describes as a “weather battleground” in the UK.
According to the latest Met Office forecast: “The UK will likely continue to sit in the battleground between Atlantic weather systems attempting to push in from the west, but tending to stall in the vicinity of the UK as they encounter high pressure to the north and northeast.”
Steven Keates, Deputy Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, commented, “While it does look increasingly likely that conditions will turn more widely colder into next week, the timing and extent of this colder air remains uncertain. There are variations between the different weather models, and although a few show very low temperature values, this is currently the minority. The majority indicate below-average temperatures from the east, but nothing too extreme at the moment.”
In addition to the cold and snow, the Met Office also flagged a geomagnetic event caused by a coronal mass ejection (CME), which could result in visible aurora displays. Krista Hammond, Space Weather Manager at the Met Office, explained, “There is still some uncertainty around the exact timing of the CME’s arrival, but it is expected overnight tonight or tomorrow morning. The CME is likely to result in geomagnetic storming, giving the potential to view the aurora. However, sightings are dependent on the CME arriving during hours of darkness and clear skies.
“The effects of the CME may linger into Tuesday night, with aurora sightings possible across Scotland, and potentially Northern Ireland and northern England, where skies remain clear. This display is expected to fade by Wednesday night, though some glimpses might still be possible from the far north of Scotland.”