London could face two five-hour periods of snowfall this weekend, Met Office maps show.
The capital is subject to a rare two-day weather warning for snow and ice from midday on Saturday to 11.59pm on Sunday. The heaviet of this snowfall will likely be on Sunday morning, though temperatures will be cold enough for an icy blast on Saturday.
Temperatures peaked at 13.2C on Wednesday, but are expected to fall to -2C in England on Sunday, and it’ll be even colder in Scotland. It means low pressure moving in from the west will fall as snow throughout the weekend and, though the Midlands and Wales will be worst hit, London will bear the brunt of wintry showers too.
Weather maps issued by meteorologists at Ventusky show London’s worst-affected boroughs will be those in the north and west of the capital, such as Harrow and Barnet. Following confirmation of the weather warnings, Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan activated London’s Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) to provide emergency accommodation for rough sleepers.
And the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued cold weather health alerts across England ahead of a week of low temperatures. Amber alerts have been issued from 12pm on Thursday until January 8. A rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, is likely, the UKHSA said. Some people will have challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18C, leading to more risk to vulnerable people.
It is 1/5 for London City Airport, which is in Newham, to see snow anytime this month, William Hill says. It has slashed its odds on Cardiff Airport to just 1/10 with Wales believed to endure significant snowfall as early as Saturday.
The Met Office website reads: “Heavy snow, and some freezing rain in places, may cause some disruption over the weekend. There is a small chance that power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected. There is a slight chance that some rural communities could become cut off.
“A small chance of injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces. There is a chance of travel delays on roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel.
“Some significant accumulations of snow are possible across parts of Wales, the Midlands and northern England in particular, at least for a time, where 5 cm or more could accumulate fairly widely, with perhaps as much as 20-30 cm over high ground of mid and north Wales and potentially 30-40 cm over parts of the Pennines. This, accompanied by strengthening winds, may lead to drifting of lying snow.”
Due to the weather, drivers have been warned to take extra care on the roads across the UK in the coming days. Delays are also expected at airports and train stations as people look to return home following the festive period.
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