The UK is set to experience an intense 96-hour spell of continuous snow beginning shortly after Christmas, marking an unsettled start to the New Year. Snowfall is forecast to begin in Scotland and along the Northeast coast of England at 12 a.m. on Saturday, January 3, according to maps from WX Charts, which rely on data from the Met Office.
This wintry weather will persist unabated until midnight on Wednesday, January 7, resulting in four full days of snowfall impacting large parts of the UK. Looking beyond this period, the BBC Weather team predicts a pattern of cold and dry conditions that will gradually give way to more unsettled weather with occasional wintry precipitation later in the New Year.
A brief milder interlude could occur in the second week of January; however, colder air is expected to return afterward. The outlook from Monday, January 12, through Sunday, January 25, highlights significant uncertainty with multiple possible weather scenarios. The position of high pressure systems near the UK will be crucial in determining whether conditions become milder or remain cold.
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Temperatures are likely to hover around or slightly below the long-term January average, with generally low precipitation except for periods of wetter weather in the northwest, including snow over the Scottish Highlands. There is also a chance that later in the month, milder and more unsettled weather could return; conversely, if high pressure shifts further north, prolonged colder conditions may set in.
Early January will feature high pressure centered near Scotland before shifting northwest towards Iceland by Monday and Tuesday. This will maintain mostly dry but cold weather for several days. Northeast winds will bring a pronounced wind chill, especially affecting southern England, while northern areas will see lighter northerly winds.
Meteorologists plan to revisit the forecast next Tuesday to refine predictions about the duration of cold spells and the potential for warmer conditions mid-month.