Cold snap to chill UK on Valentine's Day and Monday

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

February 12,2016; 11:32AM,EST

 

 

Instead of being targeted by windstorms, the United Kingdom will have to deal with a cold snap settling in for Valentine's Day and Monday.
The stormy pattern that allowed Storms Gertrude, Henry and Imogen to batter the U.K. within a 10-day period has ended. Storms with soaking rain and gusty winds will instead be directed at France and Spain into this weekend.
That does not mean that the U.K. will enjoy an extended period of sunshine and mild air. Rainy spells will evolve into wintry showers across the north as cold eventually makes a comeback across the British Isles.

A potent depression targeting France will cause a bit of rain to graze Wales and the south of England on Saturday. South West England will likely see more rainy spells than other areas, but heavy rainfall is not expected.
Despite the rain, the damaging wind threat with the depression will bypass the U.K. Swells propagating away from the depression and another system on its heels will still cause seas to turn rough in the English Channel, especially in the western half and the Celtic Sea this weekend.
Well north of the depression, rain and snow showers will stream into central Scotland in the vicinity of the regions of Tayside, Fife and Central on Saturday. Mostly rain will dampen Dundee and other lower elevations along the coast, while snow will settle on the hills and create slippery travel.
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More travel hazards will arise in the lower elevations of central Scotland on Saturday night as temperatures drop below freezing and any wet or slushy untreated surfaces turn icy.
Temperatures will plunge as a cold snap settles across all of the U.K. for Valentine's Day and Monday.
The cold will not be as brutal as what is aiming for the eastern United States with temperatures across the U.K. set to be held to near to slightly below normal. High temperatures in mid-February generally average from 4-8 C (41-47 F) in the lower elevations. Lows hover around 1-4 C (33-39 F).

Away from the major metropolitan areas of southeastern England and coastal communities of the entire U.K., widespread air frost is expected on Sunday and Monday nights. Standing water along swollen rivers could freeze and turn icy.
Brisk winds from Sunday to Monday will create even lower AccuWeather RealFeel® temperatures. Residents will definitely want to bundle up before heading to Valentine's Day festivities or dinners.
"It will feel much colder than it actually is due to the wind," AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards said.
The air will also be cold enough for wintry showers to be scattered across Scotland, the north of England and down to the East Midlands. The wintry showers will mainly stream over eastern parts of these regions.
"There can be a minor accumulation in the hills Sunday into Monday," Richards said.

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It is not out of the question for snow to lightly coat the lower elevations, away from the immediate coast, especially at night or in the early-morning hours.
However, the moderating effect of the air flowing in from the relatively milder North Sea will make it difficult for snow or sleet to be seen along the coast of the East Midlands.
Odd rain showers will otherwise dampen the south of England and Wales and be more numerous on Sunday.
"The weather will then moderate Tuesday and into Wednesday in southeastern England ahead of a cold front," Richards said. "There will be more sun and less wind, so it will feel milder."
Richards does not expect another named storm to accompany the front.
"The front will slowly move across the U.K. with a period of rain or scattered showers at midweek. It can turn breezy, but there will nothing significant in terms of wind," he said.