Next UK Snow Bomb to Blanket 432 Miles with Freezing Temperatures as Low as -6°C

A significant snow event, dubbed the next “UK snow bomb,” is set to impact a vast area spanning 432 miles across the UK, from southeast England all the way to Scotland. According to WX Charts, three of the Home Nations—England, Wales, and Northern Ireland—are forecasted to experience widespread wintry showers.

Heavy snow is anticipated around January 27, with temperatures plunging to as low as -6°C in some areas. The weather models, based on the ECMWF data, reveal a large swathe of snow covering Northern Ireland, Wales, and England, while Scotland is expected to see patchier snowfall, primarily in the southern regions.

Meteorologist Nick Finnis of Netweather TV explains that the UK will face a meteorological contest in the coming days between a large high-pressure system extending westward from Siberia and a series of low-pressure systems advancing from the Atlantic. The powerful jet stream, moving east from North America across the North Atlantic and into Western Europe, is driving these conflicting weather patterns.

High pressure over northeastern Europe will be distant enough that it won’t prevent low-pressure systems from moving in from the southwest Atlantic. However, due to blocking high pressure over Scandinavia, these systems will be pushed north or northwest across Ireland, resulting in slow-moving frontal systems.

Finnis notes that this could lead to prolonged rainfall in some areas during the week. The higher ground in eastern Scotland is particularly vulnerable to significant rainfall totals due to a persistent moist southeasterly flow combined with lifting effects caused by the slow-moving frontal zone and mountainous terrain.

In response, the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain from noon Wednesday to noon Friday. This warning covers Grampian, Central, Tayside, and Fife, where rainfall between 80-120mm could accumulate over higher ground.