Met Office weather forecast: Yellow snow warnings update as cold health alert also issued - when was the earliest snowfall in UK?

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The Met Office has updated it’s yellow warning for snow, and a cold health alert has also been issued.

After issuing a weather warning yesterday for snow and ice in parts of Scotland and northern England yesterday (Saturday November 16), the forecaster is now telling people to be aware that there will be snow and ice across southern parts of Scotland, northern England, the Midlands and north Wales.

The weather warning is in place from Monday (November 18) at 7pm to Tuesday (November 19) at 10am. A period of rain, sleet and snow will occur during Monday evening, overnight into Tuesday morning, says the Met Office.

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Today (Sunday November 17), colder air from the Arctic will arrive across northern Scotland, and that will bring with it the start of some unsettled weather for all parts as an area of low pressure arrives from the Atlantic.

A Yellow National Severe Weather Warning for snow and ice has been issued for the north of Scotland and the Northern Isles from Sunday afternoon to Monday morning. Here, showers will turn increasingly wintry through the day with hail, sleet and some snow.

Little snow is likely to settle at low levels by day, but through the evening and overnight, 1 to 3 cm may accumulate in some places within the warning area, whilst 5 to 10 cm is possible on high ground above 300 metres by Monday morning. As temperatures fall overnight, ice is likely to form on untreated surfaces.

Snow has been forecast for parts of the UK this Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (November 17, 18 and 19). Photo by Getty Images.Snow has been forecast for parts of the UK this Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (November 17, 18 and 19). Photo by Getty Images.
Snow has been forecast for parts of the UK this Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (November 17, 18 and 19). Photo by Getty Images. | Getty Images/iStockphoto

Further snow and ice are forecast from Monday evening and overnight into Tuesday. Although most snow is still likely to accumulate on higher ground, with 5-10 cm on ground over 200 metres and possibly 15-20 cm over 300 metres, there is a chance that snow may settle at lower levels within the warning area.

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This possible 5-10 cm at lower levels is likely to be more disruptive, particularly if travelling and if the snow coincides rush hour, but the likelihood for that is still uncertain at this stage. As the rain, sleet and snow clear on Tuesday morning, ice may form on untreated surfaces.

A map on the Met Office website appears to show that the yellow weather warning on Tuesday covers areas in Southern Scotland such as Dumfries and Lockerbie and stretches right down to to Nottingham and Stoke on Trent, taking in areas such as Newcastle, Manchester and Leeds.

Full details are in the Met Office yellow National Severe Weather Warning which is effect from 7pm on Monday evening, through to 10am on Tuesday morning.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Andy Page, said “We have issued yellow warnings for snow and ice as cold weather moves in from the north. This brings snow showers and some ice to parts of Scotland on Sunday night, and then the potential for a spell of snow to lead to disruption to some transport routes across a central swathe of the UK on Tuesday morning. Gusty winds in the east also remain a potential hazard. Updates to the warnings for wintry hazards are likely so it is important to stay up to date with the latest forecast”

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In addition to the severe weather warnings, a Cold Health Alert has been issued by the UKHSA, which provides alerts for the health sector in England. The alert covers the Midlands and North of England from Sunday morning through to Thursday (November 21).

When was the earliest snow fall in the UK?

There have been numerous occasions of noteable snow fall across the UK. The Big Freeze of 1963 is widely regarded as the UK’s worst winter, but there have also been some particularly cold and snowy winters in more recent times.

The winter of 2010 saw the UK's earliest widespread winter snowfall since 1993 with snow falling as early as 24 November across NE England.

On 1 December 76cm was recorded in the Peak District. Around 40cm of snow was recorded in Rotherham and Lincolnshire. Around 30cm was recorded in Leeds.

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The snowiest winter on record, however, as before either of these dates. The snowiest winter of the twentieth century in the United Kingdom was 1947. Between January 22 and March 17, snow fell every day somewhere in the country.

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