UK weather: 'double snow wall' could be on its way after stormy start to 2024

Just as the country recovers from a stormy start to the year with Storm Isha and Storm Jocelyn wreaking havoc, it now looks like there could now be snow on the way. According to new forecasts from WXCharts, a so-called "double snow wall" will sweep in across the UK in the first week in February.

The forecast has been echoed by Exactaweather expert James Madden, who told the Daily Star that the weather group's forecasts are "consistently showing up the potential for another temporary snow event". He said: "Our projections are consistently showing up the potential for another temporary snow event towards the end of the working week and into next weekend that could bring further heavy snow to the north/Scotland, and potentially to parts of northern England, Wales and Northern Ireland/Ireland within this period. This is only likely to be a passing snow event for later next week and not the return of the cold and snow proper."

Mr Madden added: "However, we do expect some major snow and cold weather to start gaining significant ground to return for in and around February 2 and 3, possibly a little earlier or later depending on a small standard deviation for any timeline changes between now and then. A strong Greenland blocking pattern is also something that we have repeatedly and consistently insisted would happen for February and from as early as September, due to an earlier and now confirmed sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event."

However, the Met Office has not said it is expecting any snow disruption as we move into February. On what to expect over the next week or two, they predict more rain is instead on the horizon.

The Met Office said in its forecast for Monday, January 29 to Wednesday, February 7: "Cloud and outbreaks of rain gradually move northwards across the UK during Monday, heaviest in some western and northern areas with some southern parts dry. Through the remainder of the period, changeable with spells of rain at times, but also some drier, brighter interludes. The heaviest and most frequent rain will tend to be across northwestern areas and accompanied by periods of strong winds.

"Further south and east settled periods are likely to be more prevalent, with the best of any sunshine and drier weather here. Temperatures are expected to be milder than average overall, although this doesn't preclude shorter, colder spells at times, with a risk of overnight frost and fog accompanying more settled conditions."