The UK is bracing for a cold and snowy February, with forecasts predicting two distinct snow events that could impact large parts of the country. Weather experts suggest that these plunging temperatures may lead to hard frosts and widespread snow, causing disruptions across regions from Scotland to the south of England.
As February begins this weekend, Jim Dale, a weather expert from British Weather Services, highlights two major cold snaps, with one set to arrive around February 4-5, followed by another more intense plunge on February 8-9. These forecasts suggest that despite the initial cold snap bringing only limited snow, the second is likely to bring harsher conditions, including frost and extremely low temperatures.
First Cold Snap: Light Snow, But It’s Just the Start
Weather experts have predicted the first cold snap to arrive between February 4 and 5. However, this initial wave of colder air is unlikely to bring significant snowfall across much of the UK.
Snow is expected to be confined mainly to the Highland regions and other high grounds further south, leaving much of the country relatively unaffected. According to Jim Dale, while snow will fall in these higher areas, it will not be “overly dramatic.”
The cold air pushing southwards may bring some brief wintry showers to other parts of the UK, but the conditions are expected to remain mainly dry. The primary concern, however, will be the sudden drop in temperatures, which could result in frost in certain areas, particularly during the night.
For most of the UK, though, the impact of this first cold spell is likely to be modest, with cold, dry air dominating for the time being.
Second Cold Plunge: Snow to Blanket the UK
A more severe cold snap is expected to arrive around February 8 and 9, with much of the country likely to experience harder frosts and temperatures plummeting to very low levels. This second wave will bring widespread snow, starting with a significant snow band around February 9.
The forecast suggests that snow will extend from the North West of England and the North East of the UK, up through Scotland’s central belt and Highlands.
This snow is likely to be more persistent, with areas from the Borders to the far north seeing significant accumulations. While these weather conditions will be dry for the most part, the severity of the cold will dominate, as little warm air is expected to return for the foreseeable future.
In the coming days, the BBC Weather team has confirmed that rain will linger over the south-east of the UK, while drier conditions will prevail in other parts of the country. However, conditions will remain mostly cloudy, with patchy rain affecting western regions.
