{"id":10858,"date":"2024-12-14T06:35:35","date_gmt":"2024-12-14T06:35:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/?p=10858"},"modified":"2024-12-14T06:35:35","modified_gmt":"2024-12-14T06:35:35","slug":"uk-weather-freeze-70-kmh-winds-to-slam-england","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk-weather-freeze-70-kmh-winds-to-slam-england\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Weather: Snowfall, -5\u00b0C Freeze and 70 km\/h Winds to Slam England Just Before Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>England<\/strong> is bracing for<strong> severe winter weather<\/strong>, with gale-force winds of up to <strong>70 km\/h<\/strong>, <strong>sub-zero temperatures<\/strong> dipping to <strong>-5\u00b0C<\/strong>, and isolated snowfall expected across certain areas. According to forecasts from <strong>WXCharts<\/strong> and other meteorological experts, the days leading up to Christmas will bring significant weather disruptions to much of the UK.<\/p>\n<h2>A Sharp Drop in Temperatures<\/h2>\n<p>From <strong>21 December<\/strong>, a notable cold snap will take hold across the country. According to <strong>Jamie Brassington<\/strong>, writing for <em>Coventry Live<\/em>, <strong>northern England<\/strong> and <strong>Scotland<\/strong> will be the hardest hit, with temperatures plunging as low as <strong>-5\u00b0C<\/strong>. The Scottish Highlands, particularly around <strong>Fort William<\/strong>, will face the brunt of the chill, with <strong>icy winds reaching 65 km\/h<\/strong> and heavy snowfall predicted.<\/p>\n<p>Northern English cities, such as <strong>Manchester<\/strong> and <strong>Newcastle<\/strong>, are also expected to see temperatures hovering around freezing. By contrast, southern areas, including <strong>Devon<\/strong> and <strong>Somerset<\/strong>, will contend with strong winds and heavy rain. However, temperatures in these regions are forecast to remain milder, at around <strong>3\u00b0C<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.metoffice.gov.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Met Office<\/em><\/a> long-range forecast for <strong>17 to 26 December<\/strong> outlines: <em>\u201c<strong>Unsettled conditions, with heavy rain and strong winds, are expected to affect most areas. Sleet and snow are likely, particularly on higher ground in the north<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10861\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10861\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10861 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Weather-maps-reveal-freezing-temperatures-on-the-way-1.jpg\" alt=\"Weather Maps Reveal Freezing Temperatures On The Way\" width=\"810\" height=\"539\" srcset=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Weather-maps-reveal-freezing-temperatures-on-the-way-1.jpg 810w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Weather-maps-reveal-freezing-temperatures-on-the-way-1-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Weather-maps-reveal-freezing-temperatures-on-the-way-1-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10861\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Weather maps reveal freezing temperatures on the way. (Image: WX Charts).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Hopes and Realities of a White Christmas<\/h2>\n<p>While many are wishing for a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk-weather-snowstorm-to-bring-white-christmas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>snowy Christmas<\/strong><\/a>, the likelihood of significant snow is slim for much of the UK. Historical records show that the last widespread white Christmas occurred in <strong>2010<\/strong>, when <strong>83% of weather stations<\/strong> reported snow lying on the ground. This year, however, snowfalls are expected to be largely restricted to elevated areas in Scotland and northern England.<\/p>\n<p>For lowland areas in the south, precipitation is more likely to take the form of rain, making a blanket of festive snow improbable.<\/p>\n<h3>Areas of Concern<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Scottish Highlands<\/strong>: Up to <strong>3 cm of snow per hour<\/strong> forecast between Christmas and <strong>28 December<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Devon, Somerset, and West Wales<\/strong>: Moderate risk of snow, but significant rainfall is more likely.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cornwall and Liverpool<\/strong>: Strong winds and intermittent rain predicted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>High Winds Pose Travel Risks<\/h2>\n<p>With winds expected to reach speeds of <strong>70 km\/h<\/strong>, travel disruption could be a major concern. Southern England, particularly the <strong>south-west coastal regions<\/strong>, is likely to be the hardest hit, with ferry crossings and road travel potentially affected by hazardous conditions. The strongest winds are forecast between <strong>21 and 24 December<\/strong>, coinciding with the busy pre-Christmas travel period.<\/p>\n<h3>Advice for Residents<\/h3>\n<p>Experts recommend the following precautions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Keep abreast of <strong>local weather warnings<\/strong> issued by the <em>Met Office<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Plan travel carefully, considering alternative routes and timings for long journeys.<\/li>\n<li>Prepare for potential <strong>power outages<\/strong> in areas most exposed to the severe conditions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Unpredictable Year-End Weather<\/h2>\n<p>After this bout of turbulent weather, a brief respite is anticipated from <strong>28 December<\/strong>, though occasional showers may persist. Looking ahead to the new year, forecasts suggest a mix of <strong>rain, winds, and frost<\/strong>, with temperatures hovering slightly above seasonal norms. However, bouts of fog and freezing conditions may present further challenges as 2024 begins.<\/p>\n<p>Residents are advised to remain vigilant, stay informed, and take necessary precautions to ensure safe travel and preparations for the holidays.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A <strong>cold snap<\/strong> will hit the UK just days before <strong>Christmas<\/strong>, with icy temperatures, blustery winds and snow in some places predicted. Will your region wake up to a <strong>white Christmas<\/strong>, or will rain and strong gusts dominate the festive season? Travel plans could be severely disrupted if the weather takes a dramatic turn for the worse.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":10117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-weather","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10858","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10858"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10858\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10858"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10858"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10858"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}