Weather warnings in place with seven inches of snow set to fall in parts of UK

Up to seven inches (20cm) of snow is set to fall across parts of the UK in the coming days, along with a band of heavy rain which could lead to flooding, forecasters have said.

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for severe snow on Thursday and Friday in parts of northern England and Scotland.

Most of Northern Ireland and areas in north-west England could see flooding as 20-30mm of rainfall is possible from Wednesday evening.

People living in the affected areas should expect delays and cancellations to public transport, and flooding to homes and businesses, the Met Office said.

However, temperatures will increase in most areas as milder air moves in from the Atlantic, causing a “battleground” as it combines with colder air in the north.

Parts of southern England and Wales could see “spring-like” weather, with temperatures rising as high as 14C (57F).

It comes after large swathes of the UK were left blanketed in snow last weekend.

The Met Office said the UK had experienced its snowiest spell since late January 2019, when 20 weather stations in England recorded accumulations of 5cm or more for three days consecutively.

Tom Morgan, a Met Office forecaster said: “More milder conditions are set to move in from the Atlantic on Wednesday evening and will lead to a sort of battleground with the cold air in the north.

“This will cause some of the rain and snow which will impact areas across northern England and Scotland.

“Northern Ireland will see around 30mm of rainfall, while parts of north-west England could experience flooding, as the ground is already very saturated and the rivers are higher than usual”.

Winter weather Jan 26th 2021
Winter weather Jan 26th 2021

The Environment Agency had 12 flood warnings in place on Wednesday afternoon, stretching from the Midlands to the North East, meaning immediate action is required.

Mr Morgan also said those in Scotland and in areas around the Pennines will see heavy snowfall lasting until Friday.

He added: “Those travelling in snowy conditions should be wary of disruption to the roads and public transport, as much as 20cm could fall in the worst affected areas so people should be careful.

“Temperatures will be close to 0C in the coldest regions, while parts of southern England and Wales could reach spring-like temperatures, even as high as 14C.

“So there’s quite a disparity depending on where you live”.

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