04/02/2018 Weather for the Week Ahead

Hello. We are into one of the longest cold spells

of the winter so far and it looks like we're going

to get another week out of it before it's done.

May not even be done then.

And some of us are going to see more snow.

Now, we've had a bit of that so far this weekend,

particularly in higher parts of northern England and Scotland,

but there's the threat elsewhere as we go through the week ahead.

Now, what's happening for part two of the weekend

on Sunday is, as this weather system just fizzles out in situ,

a keen and cold north-easterly wind behind it blows through

east and south-east England, with someone wintry showers.

A lot of these falling as rain or sleet or hail.

Things may change on Sunday night, as we'll see in a moment.

Elsewhere, variable cloud, some sunny spells

on a drier, brighter day compared to what we endured during Saturday.

But it's still cold out there. There is some sunshine.

We have a light breeze. It may not feel too bad,

but that keen, cold north-easterly wind across East Anglia

and the south-east of England will make it feel closer to

freezing and then we have these showers turning increasingly

to sleet and snow across parts of south-east England

through Sunday night and into Monday morning,

increasing the ice threat as well.

So we need to watch out for possible disruption there.

Elsewhere, another fine winter's day with variable cloud and sunshine.

Yes, it's still cold

and still particularly in that wind towards the south-east.

But then, as we go through Monday into Tuesday, we are

looking to the other end of the UK.

This weather system, coming in from the Atlantic.

This pushing into cold air will bring further sleet and snow,

probably all sleet and snow inland away from coastal areas,

as it edges its way slowly southwards during Tuesday,

but it will be weakening as it does so, so we're not expecting

huge amounts of snow, but it doesn't take much to cause some disruption.

So keep a close eye on the forecast for Tuesday.

Tuesday night into Wednesday,

again, very weakly it pushes its way southwards

and we get a few showers following on behind,

towards the west and north of the UK but also some dry

and occasionally sunny weather on Wednesday as well,

with the winds easing once again

and those temperatures still very much stuck into single figures

and we look at another weather system towards the north-west.

So, the story from Wednesday into Thursday is another attack

from the Atlantic with cold air,

with moisture coming in with this weather front.

Now, this may have a little less cold air associated with it.

There's still some sleet and snow,

particularly for higher ground and perhaps this leading edge.

I think more of us will see rain rather than snow out of this system

as it gradually pushes its way southwards

and weakens once again as we go on through Thursday.

Now, by the end of next week, we still have the cold air

in place but this area of mild air is yet another weather system

coming in from the Atlantic

and again trying to turn our weather milder, wetter and windier.

As we take a look at that in the big picture,

yes, it's another area of low pressure with a frontal system

coming our way, with strengthening wind and some wet weather.

The question is, as this arrives in time for next weekend,

what are we going to get out of it?

Well, it's likely, we think at the moment, as that moves in it

will turn a little less cold for a time next weekend, but only briefly.

But as it comes in, there will be some rain

and, whilst many of us see rain, there's still the threat of getting

some snow out of it, particularly for higher ground.

Again, something to watch

and it may be windy enough to bring strong winds or even gales.

And, as that system pulls away,

it looks likely it will turn cold yet again.