After a wet and windy start to January, temperatures have dropped with a warning of snow in parts of Wales this week. The Met Office has issued a weather warning for snow and ice for today and Tuesday (January 17).
The yellow warning is in place from midday on Monday until midday on Tuesday, and more warnings could be issued later in the week. The Met Office warning says: "Snow showers will become more frequent through Monday, continuing to feed in on northwesterly winds overnight.
"Accumulations of a couple of centimetres are possible at low levels, with higher ground expected to see 5-10 cm in places. In addition, icy stretches are likely to form following showers." The areas covered by the warning in Wales are Conwy, Denbigshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey and Wrexham.
The UK is now in a northerly airflow, with lower temperatures spreading further south this week. The Met Office says showers will fall increasingly as sleet and snow in the north, even to lower levels. Some showers further south and west, and perhaps a more persistent spell of rain overnight into Monday, could also turn to sleet and snow mainly over high ground such as the Brecon Beacons, Exmoor and Dartmoor.
Overnight frost will become more widespread by Monday night, with overnight temperatures below 0°C across much of the UK. Temperatures could get down to -10°C in sheltered glens, or across high ground areas of Scotland where there is lying snow.
Deputy chief Meteorologist, Helen Caughey, said: “After a spell of wet and mild weather to start 2023, a brief cold spell will change the feel of our weather across the UK for a few days this week. As a northerly flow establishes, we’ll see temperatures decline with overnight frosts returning and the chance of wintry showers in the north. It will certainly feel cold in all regions too, with the northerly winds creating a notable windchill.”
The colder spell is expected to be short lived, with milder air moving in from the Atlantic bringing wet and windy conditions back to the UK towards the end of the week. Here are some of the overnight temperatures from Sunday into Monday:
The Met Office forecast for Wales this week says: "Another generally dry day with plenty of bright sunshine. Scattered snow flurries are possible, these most likely in coastal areas by the evening. Turning breezier later and feeling cold. Maximum temperature 4 °C.
"Windier on Wednesday with sunny spells and wintry showers. Mostly dry on Thursday and Friday with some sunshine, but a chance of rain later. Cold with widespread overnight frosts."
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