Summer Sun

06z ensembles

Snow For UK On Wintry Weekend Severe cold, ice, sleet and snow are set to strike all of England, according to warnings issued by the Met Office. The Met Office has issued a weekend weather warning with snow expected to blanket most of England. The Level 2 Alert warns there is a high risk of severe cold, icy and snow conditions from now until Tuesday. The alert highlights all of England as being at risk. Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said temperatures will plummet today, heightening the risk of sleet or snow. "Outbreaks of rain across southern Britain will turn to sleet or snow," she said. "At this stage around 5cm to 10cm (2in to 4in) of snow is possible over more hilly areas with nearer 2cm to 5cm over some low-lying areas later. Some snow may fall in London." She added: "Some more significant snow is possible into Monday, and this could bring disruption across central and eastern Britain - so keep an eye on the forecast." Sunday is likely to be even colder than today. However it may be brighter although temperatures will remain just above freezing point. The Met Office warned: "The snow event on Monday may bring 2cm to 5cm (0.75 to 2in) quite widely across England as it spreads southeastwards, with greater than 5cm falling over hills. "This warning may be extended early next week." Light snow is already falling over high ground in Scotland this morning. The Met Office also warned of the dangers of cold ahead of the weekend, especially those who are most vulnerable. It said: "Prolonged periods of cold weather can be dangerous, especially for the very young, very old or those with chronic diseases. http://news.sky.com/story/1036684/weather-snow-for-uk-on-wintry-weekend

Latest warning from the Met office for Monday An area of sleet and snow will come eastwards across England during the early morning, probably becoming light and patchy later in the morning as it slows down over eastern areas. However, later in the day it is expected to intensify again, at the same time turning back to rain in places. Through the day there is the risk of 5 cm accumulations in places, and more than that above 200 m. However, there is greater than average uncertainty at this range, especially in the extent to which snow affects southern counties, and it is quite possible that the Alert will be upgraded to an amber Warning if confidence increases.

Around 7cm

This is the Met office's take for things on Monday as of this morning

WORST FREEZE FOR 20 YEARS THE biggest freeze in 20 years is set to bring a foot of snow by the start of next week. As the first blizzards hit Cumbria and the North-west yesterday, the Met Office issued severe weather warnings across much of the UK for the next three days. Forecasters said parts of the North-east and Scotland could be knee-deep in snow by Monday. Breakdown services last night warned of “widespread chaos†in the most severe whiteout since the winter of 1993. Britain faces a two-pronged attack from swathes of snow-laden air due to pour in from the Atlantic and the North Sea. Worst hit will be the East, South-east, Central and Northern regions, though nowhere will escape the winter blast. Gritters and snowploughs are on standby to avoid a repeat of 2010 when roads and airports were severely disrupted. The Met Office said parts of the country could see 12 inches of snow by Monday. Forecaster Sarah Holland said the first widespread wintry showers would arrive at the weekend with the entire country braced for heavy snow on Monday. “The most widespread and significant snow is going to hit on Monday with only Wales and the South-west escaping it,†she said. “We could see significant accumulations and there is the risk of travel disruption. “Temperatures will fall sharply overnight on Saturday and there is the risk of ice across the South.†Piers Corbyn, forecaster for Weather­Action, said it could be the heaviest and most disruptive snowfall for years. “The severity of what is expected could bring a whiteout worse than seen in 2010 and probably since 1993 when we had a severe bout of winter weather. “Across the country it is certainly going to be among the worst for the past 20 years and could last into next month.†The RAC has called in more patrols with almost 60,000 extra breakdowns expected by Monday night. http://www.express.c...ze-for-20-years FREEZE IS WORST IN 20YRS A NEW “Beast from the East†threatens to dump a foot of snow on Britain in the worst winter storm in 20 years. Temperatures will plunge as low as -14C as an icy blast from Scandinavia grips the UK, with four inches of snow expected to arrive today. Some parts, including the north-east, face up to 12 inches of snow in 72 hours. RAC bosses are predicting travel chaos with more than 50,000 vehicle breakdowns over two days. And the AA has warned that 75% of drivers are not prepared. But transport bosses say they are ready for the ­onslaught, with local councils and airport authorities insisting there won’t be a repeat of the winter of 2009-10 when roads, railways and airports ground to a halt. Peter Box, of the Local Government Agency’s transport board, said: “Councils are as well-prepared as they’ve ever been to keep traffic moving as freezing temperatures and snow close in.†The Highways Agency said: “We have a fleet of 500 state-of-the-art winter vehicles on standby.†And a Gatwick airport spokesman added: ­“We have invested over £8million in our snow kit which has ­allowed us to more than double our snow vehicle fleet from 47 vehicles to 98.†Forecasters say the freeze will last for two weeks. Weather Channel forecaster Leon Brown said: “We will see wider parts of the UK affected than last month and last February. “Once snow is on the ground, it will not melt as temperatures will be so low, with lows down to -14C possible next week.†Sainsbury’s reported rocketing sales of knitwear, up 40% on a week, as well as a 25% increase in soup and vitamins. The Department of Health issued a cold weather alert from 6am today, ordering health staff to prepare to check up on the elderly, ill and vulnerable. Met Office forecaster ­Sarah Holland said: “Temperatures could be down to -8C in the countryside on Sunday night. “Widespread sleet and snow is expected on Monday with more ahead.†http://www.dailystar...worst-in-20yrs/ Get ready for the big freeze: Sleet and up to 8cm of snow set to hit UK this weekend Temperatures will plummet to minus 6C today and tomorrow, with parts of north Wales, north east England and Scotland among the chilliest spots. Weather warnings are in place across Britain this weekend, with freezing temperatures, sleet and snow set to hit parts of the country this weekend. Up to 8cm of snow is predicted to settle over central and eastern England tomorrow night, with light snow already falling over high ground in Scotland this morning. Temperatures will plummet to minus 6C today and tomorrow, with parts of north Wales, north east England and Scotland among the chilliest spots. The Met Office has issued a "yellow" warning of severe weather for Wales, south and west England, north England and east of Scotland as the snow and ice hits the country. It has issued a snow warning for the whole country on Monday. Met Office spokesman Alexa Jones predicted outbreaks of rain and sleet with some snow throughout today, which may linger in parts of southern England. A spokesman for the MeteoGroup said temperatures were likely to remain low, reaching a minimum of minus 4C. He said: "There will be some rain, sleet and light snow falling across parts of the UK today, but the heavier snow will come overnight on Sunday. "The snow is likely to cause disruption with around two to five cm expected to fall, mainly in central and eastern parts of England but also inland across Scotland. "Some areas may get up to 8cm. "Other areas of the country will see sleet and snow but temperatures are likely to be very cold across the board." Temperatures have been mild so far this year and were as high as 9C (48F) in Cornwall yesterday. Forecasters said the cold snap was likely to bring widespread ice as the AA warned that 75% of drivers were not prepared for conditions on the roads. Around three-quarters of motorists are ill-prepared for potentially hazardous conditions, according to a new Populus survey of more than 20,000 adults, the organisation said. It has urged drivers to carry an essential winter kit and check their cars before getting behind the wheel. Andy Smith, of the AA, said: "It's very difficult to predict the extent of the weather but there could be some disruption even on local journeys, so keep an eye on the weather and traffic reports and plan accordingly. "Even if there's no snow where you're travelling, it's likely to be icy in places. Keep your speed down, particularly on rural and ungritted side roads, and take extra care when approaching junctions and roundabouts." The Highways Agency said it is "well prepared" for winter conditions. A spokeswoman said: "We have a fleet of 500 state-of-the-art winter vehicles on standby, supported by tried-and-tested winter resilience plans. http://www.mirror.co...now-set-1530864 ONE FOOT of snow this weekend: But don't worry... councils say they're as prepared as ever! Up to a foot of snow will fall over the weekend as a blast of Arctic air creates treacherous conditions across the country. Forecasters expect up to four inches of snow to fall in parts of Britain from today until Monday as temperatures in the countryside drop to a finger-numbing minus 8C (18F). And the Met Office has issued several ‘yellow’ warnings nationwide for ice and snow over the weekend. Monday has been marked out as a ‘snow day’ by forecasters, with most of the country carpeted in at least an inch. Higher ground across the Midlands, eastern England and Scotland could by then have received its third successive coating of four inches of snow. In London, forecasters predict minor ‘flurries’ of snow across the weekend, but ‘at least’ an inch of snow is expected to fall on the capital late on Monday night, when freezing temperatures mean it is expected to settle. This morning a blanket of thick fog settled over the City, looking like a harbinger of the unforgiving weather to come. The only area likely to escape snow is the South West, although it is expected to be icy there. http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz2Hkrgu1YZ

Little change so far still looking at around 12 hours or maybe more of snow for some eastern areas I've had a look at a snow depth chart and we are looking at 9cm by 21:00 in the NE on Monday, 16cm in eastern Scotland, and 11cm in the London area

GFS remains very positive from the early hours of Monday Certainly the potential for heavy falls of snow from Monday

Heavy snow in the SE early hours of Tuesday

The event for Monday remains on

Tomorrow's front page of the Express

Turning Colder Unsettled and windy across the Mediterranean Issued: 0530hrs Friday 11th January 2013 Duty forecaster: John Ejdowski Snow for Eastern Europe Today Cold across eastern Europe today with outbreaks of snow expected across Russia, the Baltic States, Belarus down through the western Ukraine and this will be heavy. Snow too is in the forecast for Sweden, Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic, the far south of Germany and across Switzerland. Heavy snow showers are forecast for Denmark today with most of Norway and Germany dry and sunny. One or two snow showers may affect the coasts of Holland, otherwise dry across Holland sunny spells through Belgium. Some patchy rain to come across the former Yugoslavia today with some patchy, sleet and snow expected across Romania and Bulgaria. A few showers will affect Greece today with rain mix with snow across western Turkey. Dry across eastern Turkey with sunny spells. Some rain is likely to affect eastern parts of France today with the north and south dry. A rash of heavy showers are expected from Sardinia across into Sicily through the Greek Isles to Crete. Very windy through the central and eastern part of the Mediterranean with gales across southern France and up through the Aegean and Black Seas. Mostly cloudy across much of Italy with some sporadic outbreaks of rain. Dry across the Balearics today with good sunny spells expected across Spain and Portugal. Saturday Cold and windy with the risk of snow across southern England. Outbreaks of rain are expected across western France with the east dry. Snow is likely to affect Belgium with most of Holland. Dry with sunny spells. Some heavy snow showers again are forecast across Denmark. An area of heavy snow is forecast for Poland. Some snow may affect southern parts of Sweden, otherwise cold and dry with sunny spells across Norway and Finland today. Largely dry but very cold across Russia with some snow across western parts of the Ukraine, eastern and southern Romania, into Bulgaria. Further heavy showers are expected from southern parts of Italy across into Greece and western Turkey with snow expected across eastern parts of Turkey. Cold but sunny and dry across the former Yugoslavia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. Austria could see a spell of snow with a dry day across Switzerland and northern Italy. Outbreaks of rain are forecast for Portugal and the north of Spain with central and southern Spain, dry and sunny. Apart from some snow showers across south of Germany, it looks mainly dry with sunny spells. It will remain quite windy through the Mediterranean region, especially from Sicily eastward to Crete. http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-app/reports?MENU=EuropeanSummary

Full ECM ensemble

It's here! Snow arrives in the North and forecasters predict more every day before it hits London on Monday http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz2HhJUMeB5

Sorry folks try now http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news/newsid_7760000/7760862.stm

For those who didn't see it - http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/hi/news/newsid_7760000/7760862.stm

Or maybe not

Game on again at t216 After the wobble GFS had a few days back I'd take nothing as gospel beyond Tuesday things are certain to change again over the coming days

Monday should see the first snow event with another on Tuesday and Wednesday according to GFS 12z so those totals are possible yes general range I'd say is 10cm to 20cm generally with 15cm to 25cm on higher ground NY Moors as an example

t168 Cold air edging away

A cracker!!

A 2010 style event would deliver high totals to most areas in Darlington we got 25cm including 7cm in one night!

12z ensembles from GFS have gone subzero once more

Latest on Twitter Matt Hugo Let battle commence according to the UKMO model - http://www.wetterzentrale.de/pics/Rukm1441.gif … - In total conflict with the milder 144hr GFS.

Fully agree its always the same south, south, south, blah, blah, blah there is a world North of Birmingham have a feeling it will be the north (NE England and SE Scotland) which gets the most snow but the south will get the most coverage as per normal And before anyone says anything I'm aware the south east has a large population *Rant over*