london weather is being shaped by a return of Arctic air across the UK that is keeping temperatures mostly in single digits, bringing blustery winds and snow for some areas and prompting Met Office yellow warnings for snow, ice and wind. The pattern has already produced snow in parts of Scotland during the Friday morning rush hour and fuelled forecasts of frost into the weekend.
Met Office warnings and snow
A yellow Met Office warning for snow and ice is effective from Friday morning and covers areas north of Stirling and around Fort William, with up to 5cm of snow anticipated widely and as much as 10cm possible above about 350 metres. Snow showers were still likely over the hills in Scotland and Northern Ireland after warnings elapsed in some areas, and frosts are expected across Scotland and Northern Ireland on some nights into the weekend. The pattern suggests these accumulations and overnight frosts will keep local road and footpath conditions hazardous in the affected zones.
Scotland’s snow and travel impact
Central and north-west Scotland saw wintry showers and a covering of snow through the Friday morning rush hour, and transport operators had already imposed measures: speed restrictions are in place on the West Highland Line, the Highland Main Line and the Far North and Kyle Lines. Some Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services on Scotland’s west coast were disrupted, and a fallen power line briefly blocked the A90 at Fordoun before being cleared just after 9: 00 am ET. The figures point to immediate, localized disruption to rail, ferry and road users where snow, gusts and fallen equipment coincide.
London Weather and southeastern warmth
Across the UK the source of the air and wind direction has determined temperatures; most areas are limited to single figures while south-eastern areas started relatively mild and are more likely to reach double figures during the day. For now, london weather is therefore likely to be less wintry than parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, even as the national picture remains unsettled. The colder air is expected to hang about until early next week, after which forecasts show temperatures recovering to a little above the mid-March average.
Saturday is forecast to begin with frost in some northern areas but with plenty of sunshine and fewer winds, while showers will become more numerous by the afternoon. Sunday’s showers look more numerous with more cloud and wind and a renewed chance of showers turning wintry in the north by Sunday night. The contrast between sunny, calmer spells and sharp blustery showers explains why forecasters are warning of hail, thunder and even odd rainbows alongside snow and frost.
Forecasters link the cold outbreak to a strengthened jet stream that has drawn cold Arctic air down over the UK after a sharp temperature contrast generated strong upper-level winds. The jet stream originally intensified where warm air from the Gulf of Mexico met cold Arctic air, producing severe storms in parts of the US; that same amplified jet stream is now channeling the chill and instability into the North Atlantic and across the UK.
The next confirmed milestone is the Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice remaining in force until 9: 00 am ET on Friday; wind warnings are in place through 8: 00 pm ET on Thursday and a separate Northern Ireland wind warning runs until midday on Thursday. If these warnings hold, the data suggests travel delays and some short-term loss of power or services will be the immediate practical outcome in the warned areas.
