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Issued: 1330hrs Wed 9th March 2005
Duty forecaster: Simon Keeling

A Cold Blast but Questionable Snow

If you read this feature yesterday, you'll know that I was forecasting a fairly widespread outbreak of wintry weather this weekend.

Well, I should have known better really. Years of forecasting experience should have taught me that cold outbreaks, with high pressure to the west, often slip into the North Sea, and increasingly, this looks to be the case this weekend.

We do still believe that there will be much colder conditions for the whole of the UK and Ireland, with snow showers affecting Scotland and much of northern and eastern England. These may well be heavy at times and are likely to begin on Friday afternoon. The snow showers continue through Saturday, again most to the north and east, although anywhere across the UK and Ireland is at risk from catching one.

As for snow accumulations, the high ground of Scotland and northern England may see some, as will lower levels, at least temporarily, after heavier snow showers. The snow should melt readily at low levels though.

On Sunday snow showers may again affecting the north and east, but western areas should be brighter.

On both Friday night/Saturday morning and Saturday night/Sunday morning watch out for icy roads as temperatures will be falling below freezing in most areas.