There is the potential for widespread snowfall in the UK this month (March) - but we're unlikely to see conditions as bad as those that the 'Beast from the East' brought in 2018 - a Met Office weather expert has said.
Snow could finally be heading to these shores from Greenland, which will bring delight to children everywhere, if some predictions are correct. Northern and eastern parts are said to be at most risk, but most of the UK could see snowfall, if there are changes to the forecasted pattern of weather.
It’s all due to a “highly amplified” jet stream, mixed with an area of lower pressure over the Mid-North Atlantic, that will push air up into Greenland and then back down towards the UK next week.
Explaining next week’s forecast, Aidan McGivern, from the Met Office, said: “During the weekend, low pressure over the Mid-North Atlantic will start to feed energy northwards and allow high pressure over the UK to migrate towards Greenland. At the same time, there’s a highly amplified, very perturbed jet stream.
“It loops around this low (pressure) and then pushes all the way back to the north of the high pressure that’s developing over Greenland, allowing this northerly feed that’s allowing the colder weather to push into the north of the UK by the end of Saturday.”
He added changes could take place and alter the pattern, but the Met Office believed it was most likely the cold air would be pushed into the north and east areas of the UK. He said: “As that happens the low pressure from the south and the west is likely to push in and mix with the cold at the north and east, leading to some disruptive snow in places by the start of next week.”
Subscribe here for the latest news where you live
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Mark Sidaway said: "We are expecting an area of high pressure to become increasingly established in an area toward Greenland.
“This will allow a northerly flow to feed colder air into at least the northern and eastern half of the UK bringing wintry showers.
“The extended outlook shows the possibility for a series of areas of low pressure to come across the Atlantic, and these bring the potential for some more widespread snowfall as they encounter the cold air, although the location and timing of these are very uncertain for now."
However, Mark allayed fears over another ‘Beast from the East’ - and said things will not be and bad as they were in 2018 when the country ground to a halt for a few days.He said: “Although we have had a sudden stratospheric warming event and other drivers pointing towards colder conditions in March, at this stage there is a low probability of having widely disruptive winter weather like that of five years ago in March 2018.”
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.
