Snow, harsh cold to invade UK late this week

By Eric Leister, AccuWeather meteorologist

January 10,2017, 11:41:12AM,EST

 

 

Big changes are coming to the United Kingdom as cold air, gusty winds and snow sweep across the country later this week.
While eastern Europe has endured brutal cold and snow for the past week, the U.K. has been spared. However, that will come to an end.
A polar air mass will drop from Greenland to the U.K., causing temperatures to tumble and setting the stage for several days of snow.

High temperatures ahead of this cold blast will average 8-10 C (46-50 F) throughout the country. However, by Friday, high temperatures will reach only 2-4 C (36-40 F) in most areas.
Gusty northerly winds will make it feel even colder. Wind gusts over 40 mph (65 km/h) will be common across Northern Ireland, northern England and Scotland on Wednesday with local gusts over 60 mph (97 km/h) in northern and western Scotland.
Gusty winds will lash much of the U.K. on Thursday before another round of travel disrupting and locally damaging wind reaches Scotland and eastern England on Friday.
The chill will reach Scotland and Northern Ireland on Wednesday. Showers will be widespread throughout the day, turning wintry on the hills.
This cold air will plunge southward across the rest of the U.K. Wednesday night and Thursday as the threat for wintry showers expands to all of Scotland and Northern Ireland along with northwest England and Wales.
RELATED:
United Kingdom Weather Center
MinuteCast® for your location
Interactive United Kingdom weather radar
The same areas will get additional snow showers on Thursday night and Friday. Total accumulation of 5-10 cm (2-4 inches) is expected in areas that receive repeated snowfall with local amounts over 20 cm (8 inches) in the higher ground of Scotland.
Any snowfall can create dangerous road conditions and cause delays to rail and air travel.
Snow will be in the air near the eastern coast of England on Friday, where some minor accumulation is possible and could result in travel disruption; otherwise, southern England will avoid any significant impacts from snowfall this week.
Even though no accumulating snowfall is expected at this time, flakes may still be seen across Greater London this weekend.