Snow warning as Britain facing brutal blizzards in hours – 19 counties to be hit

A barrage of snow could be about to fall across the country – with 19 counties predicted to turn white this weekend.

New maps from WXCharts show an icy front beginning to set in across Scotland and Northern England at around 6pm today, Saturday, February 15.

The blast of wintry weather won’t be contained to northern regions, however, with snow flurries also expected on the eastern England coast and across Suffolk and Norfolk.

The maps, which are generated using meteorological data from MetDesk, show the icy stretch reaching across the UK from north to east, whilst a rainy front moves across the southeast and over Wales and Northern Ireland.

The snowy conditions are expected to stick around into early next week, at which point 19 counties across the UK are forecast to see snowfall of up to 4cm each hour, accumulating to depths of around 1cm.

Temperatures around the country are forecast to drop on Saturday and Sunday, with northern regions recording lows of -7C, while central and southern areas are expected to hover just below 0C.

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice across northern England, in place from 6am to 2pm on February 15.

The UK Health Security Agency has also warned of dangers to the health and wellbeing of the country’s elderly population, issuing a cold weather alert for parts of the northeast, Yorkshire and the Humber.

The national weather service has warned of disruptive weather fronts moving across the country in the next week and suggested that up to 5cm of snow is possible in North Yorkshire and Scotland over the weekend.

“Through Saturday, the rain will move further east and as it does, it’ll bump into the colder air, meaning some snow is likely, mainly for parts of Northern England covered by the snow and ice warning,” chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said.

The forecaster suggests that low temperatures will continue into next week, with unsettled conditions expected to move in from the Atlantic on Wednesday, bringing warmer but turbulent weather in its tow.

Today:

Rainfall expected across the UK with some hill snow in eastern regions. Icy conditions also expected, with drier spells in the southwest.

Tonight:

Rain and hill snow continuing in the east, with fog patches developing in southern areas. Overnight frost expected in northern Scotland.

Sunday:

Rainy conditions expected to continue in eastern England, with a drizzly front moving over Northern Ireland later in the day. Dry and cloudy elsewhere, with low temperatures.

Outlook for Monday to Wednesday:

Wet, snowy and icy conditions possible in northern and western regions. Breezy and dry in the rest of the UK, with temperatures climbing towards the end of the week.