The Met Office has issued a specific weather alert for snow, pinpointing exactly which areas of England will be affected by a significant wintry outbreak this week. While a 12-hour snow warning is in force, it is crucial to note that a large portion of the country is expected to remain largely unscathed.
Targeted Snow Warning for Ten Counties
The official alert is active from 3pm on Thursday, February 5, until 3am on Friday, February 6. The warning has been triggered specifically for ten counties in central and northern England. Residents in these areas should prepare for potential travel disruption and hazardous conditions.
Counties Under the Snow Alert
The counties directly affected by the Met Office warning are:
- Derbyshire
- Durham
- Northumberland
- Cheshire East
- Cumbria
- Greater Manchester
- Lancashire
- North Yorkshire
- South Yorkshire
- West Yorkshire
Thirty Counties Set to Be Spared
In contrast, a much larger group of thirty English counties is forecast to escape the most intense period of snowfall on Friday. This means that while wintry showers may occur elsewhere, these regions are not currently under the formal Met Office warning for the 12-hour window.
Regions Anticipating Lighter Conditions
The list of counties expected to be spared includes a broad swathe of central, eastern, southern, and southwestern England. Notable areas set for a reprieve include:
- Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire
- Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and Staffordshire
- Oxfordshire, Rutland, Warwickshire, and Shropshire
- Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and the West Midlands
- Wiltshire and Somerset
- Gloucestershire, Devon, Dorset, and Cornwall
- Surrey, Sussex, Essex, and Kent
- Berkshire, Greater London, and the Isle of Wight
- Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshire
Expert Forecast for Wintry Conditions
James Madden, a forecaster from Exacta Weather, provided detailed analysis of the developing situation. He indicated that bands of wintry precipitation are expected to form across central parts of the country.
"Some quite large swathes of wintry weather bands are set to turn green or pink, indicating sleet and snow, across large parts of the central spine region from parts of central England and upwards within the next hour," Madden stated.
He elaborated that these conditions would push northwards from southern England and Ireland during Thursday afternoon and evening, initially as wind and rain before turning increasingly to snow at lower levels as they meet colder air further north.
Timeline and Accumulation
The forecaster predicted that the first wintry bands and snow would form in parts of Wales and central England early on Thursday afternoon, potentially extending to eastern Ireland. These bands are then expected to spread into other large parts of central and northern England later in the day.
"These will offer some heavy and accumulating snow in places, particularly in the very central spine of the country in northern and central England, where the concentration will be highest before dissipating later this evening," Madden added.
Weekend Outlook and Further Possibilities
Looking beyond the immediate alert period, the forecast suggests a continued risk of wintry weather. There is a moderate possibility that some snow showers could extend further south than currently anticipated in the coming hours.
Furthermore, sporadic snow showers are deemed likely in parts of northern and central England during Friday and Saturday, although these are expected to be very hit-and-miss. For the far north and Scotland, wintry weather and snow are predicted to remain an almost continuous feature for much of the upcoming weekend, aligning with earlier multi-day forecasts for the region.
This targeted alert system by the Met Office allows residents in the ten named counties to take necessary precautions, while those in the thirty spared counties can plan with slightly more confidence, though remaining vigilant for any localised changes in the forecast.
