'Serious' snow to blast Scotland as Met Office report names area to be worst hit

People in Scotland have been warned that a bout of ‘serious’ snowfall could be on the way as soon as next week, bringing some potential ‘hazards’ with it.

The Met Office has taken a closer look at a series of weather fronts that are expected to sweep over the UK this weekend and into next week, which could result in some chilly conditions.

Snow showers will be focused on the north of Scotland and Northern Ireland, according to the latest Met Office report. There is a chance that the snow will be ‘disruptive’ for some areas in the middle of next week, but the forecaster says it may be too soon to tell exactly what the true impacts could be.

The white stuff is due to northerly gales blowing in, with widespread frost on the way this week before the “interesting” conditions begin in a matter of days.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin explained in a video forecast that a cold front will begin to approach the UK on Friday January 12 following days of dry and cold weather for much of the country.

He said: “This [cold front] is followed by another one, and then potentially another one, and it’s certainly going to be followed by the winds coming down from the north.

“Northerly winds are going to bring some pretty cold air, so I mentioned temperatures rising a little bit over the next couple of days, but we’ll notice then a drop in temperatures as these cold fronts introduce colder air from the north. Initially just across the north into Saturday but then becoming more widespread, drifting right across the country by the time we get to the end of the weekend.”

The meteorologist explained that this series of weather fronts are likely to bring in some cloud, patchy rain and snow on hills. The impacts of this weather will lessen as the fronts move further south.

But in the north of Scotland, where the colder air is, conditions are set to be more severe. He said: “We’re going to see strong winds coming down from the north, and they will generate snow showers bringing that colder air. These snow showers could be fairly significant, particularly when attached to those strong and gusty winds as well.

“The northern isles, parts of the north of the mainland of Scotland could see some heavy snow showers during Sunday and into Monday morning.”

Members of the public walk in the snow in Victoria Park in Glasgow on December 2, 2023.

He warned that these snow showers across the north could amount to some “serious dumps” in places, with strong winds posing an “extra hazard” to contend with.

The forecaster also highlighted that wet weather predicted for northern Scotland on Tuesday January 16 could also trigger some further snowfall.

While Alex explained it’s hard to say what the true impacts may be at the moment, there is currently a “reasonable chance” that next week could see some “significant snowfall” hitting the UK – specifically across the north of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist David Hayter explained: “While the initial snow risk from Sunday onwards is looking most likely to be coastal areas in the north of the UK, including North Sea and Irish Sea coasts, there’s an ongoing likelihood of some disruptive snow through the middle to latter part of next week.

“What we’re keeping an eye on for this disruptive snow is where exactly this milder air from the southwest bumps into the cold air that will be in place over the UK. It’s where these airmasses meet that there’s a likelihood of some substantial snow for some places. At the moment, models are showing us a variety of options for exactly when and how this situation plays out and it’s something we’ll be able to add more details to in the coming days.”

You can keep up to date with the weather and any warnings that may be issued by checking out the Met Office website.

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