UK weather: Atlantic jet stream could bring snow to southern England this week
Written by News on 26/02/2020
Southern England – including London – could see snow this week, according to the Met Office.
Parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England have already been blanketed in snow – with more forecast for today as temperatures continue to plunge below freezing.
However, by tomorrow, the wintry showers could move further south – and by Thursday a fresh band of low pressure moving in from the Atlantic could see snowfall in the capital.
Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said further snow showers are forecast for Wednesday across western Scotland and Northern Ireland, adding, “and by this stage the air cold enough that we could even see some snow coming down to lower levels, even as far south as the South West”.
Looking ahead to Thursday, he said there was “a mild bump in the air across the Atlantic” which will lead to the development of an area of low pressure.
“How this interacts with the jet stream come Thursday is currently very uncertain,” he said.
“The European computer model sends that low into France.
“But the Met Office computer model and the American model have it further north and more developed across southern parts of the country.
“At the moment we think it is most likely to run across southern counties of the UK, and bump into the cold air further north.
“And that means that as we start off Thursday, we think it’s most likely that southern counties of England and South Wales will see a spell of rain.
“But north of the M4, there is the possibility of some temporary snowfall – not a great deal – it doesn’t at the moment look to be widespread, significant disruption. But there is the possibility of some snow in north London.
“It does clear away after lunchtime, and then brighter skies follow, but we will continue to see further wintry showers across northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and further snowfall especially over the hills.”
(c) Sky News 2020: UK weather: Atlantic jet stream could bring snow to southern England this week
