The Met Office has issued a series of yellow and amber weather warnings for snow across large parts of the UK for Friday, January 9. However, a significant portion of England is expected to escape the worst of the wintry weather, with 21 counties set to be spared any significant snowfall.
Which Areas Are Under Weather Warnings?
The official warnings from the Met Office are concentrated in several key regions. The Midlands, the North West, the East of England, and the North East are all braced for potential disruption from snow and ice. In tandem with this, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber cold health alerts for England, which are set to remain in force until Monday.
The Full List of Counties Missing the Snow
Despite the widespread warnings, many areas will see cold but drier conditions. The counties not expected to receive any snow on Friday are:
- Hampshire
- Surrey
- East Sussex & West Sussex
- Greater London
- Berkshire
- Wiltshire
- Essex
- Kent
- Rutland
- Northumberland
- Durham
- Cumbria
- Northamptonshire
- Buckinghamshire
- Bedfordshire
- Hertfordshire
- Isle of Wight
- Huntingdonshire
- Cumberland
- Westmorland
Expert Forecast and Storm System
James Madden from Exacta Weather provided a detailed forecast, indicating that heavy snow bands will intensify and spread. He stated these bands will bring sleet or snow to parts of central and southern England and Wales throughout Friday morning. Madden emphasised that southern regions, including areas towards London, have not "missed" the snow yet, with risks heightening significantly later on Friday and into the evening as colder temperatures arrive.
This disruptive weather is linked to a developing low-pressure system referred to by some forecasts as "Storm Goretti." The BBC forecast notes this system will cross the southern UK on Thursday, bringing rain followed by accumulating snow to the southern half of the country overnight. A fine line between snow and rain is expected due to temperatures hovering near freezing.
The northern half of the UK will experience cold but drier weather with scattered wintry showers. Any lingering rain and snow is predicted to clear eastern England early on Friday, leading to drier conditions nationwide with only isolated showers.
