The UK is poised to experience a rare and potentially disruptive weather event as new forecasts reveal the likelihood of freezing rain alongside snow in parts of the country on November 21. Recent weather maps from WXCharts have turned orange and white, signaling these unusual conditions primarily across Scotland.
Data derived from Met Desk and analyzed on November 11 shows temperatures dropping to around -2°C in affected areas. This drop facilitates a unique weather pattern known as freezing rain, a phenomenon that is uncommon in the UK.
Freezing rain occurs when precipitation falls as snow, sleet, or hail but then passes through a warmer air layer above 0°C, melting into liquid droplets. As these droplets move closer to the ground where temperatures fall below freezing, they become supercooled. Upon contact with surfaces near or below freezing, these droplets instantly freeze, forming a hazardous glaze of ice.
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According to the Met Office, freezing rain events are more typical in regions like the United States, where they often lead to ice storms. The accumulation of ice can weigh down trees and power lines, causing significant damage and disruption.
The forecast maps pinpoint areas around Fort William and Portree as likely to face the brunt of freezing rain, while regions such as Inverness, Dundee, Wick, and Aberdeen may encounter snowfall. The Met Office’s long-range outlook from November 15 to 24 suggests many central and northern UK areas will experience colder, drier conditions with overnight frosts and occasional wintry showers on higher ground.
Southern and southwestern parts may initially see milder, wetter weather with cloud cover, but conditions are expected to clear, leading to drier and colder weather during the early part of next week. Though some variability is anticipated later, including the possibility of hill snow in northern regions, overall temperatures are forecasted to return near average levels.
This rare freezing rain event, combined with snow, highlights the need for increased caution as ice accumulation can create hazardous travel and infrastructure conditions.