UK weather maps suggest snow could fall as far south as Essex and Cambridge on January 22, as changeable winter conditions continue to affect large parts of the country.
Latest forecast charts indicate colder air may briefly push southwards later in the month, bringing the risk of sleet or snow even to parts of southern and eastern England that typically avoid wintry weather. The potential snowfall is shown on WXChart’s long-range model projections, which highlight a narrow window around January 22 when temperatures could dip low enough for snow on lower ground.
The following counties are forecasted to see snow:
Scotland
- Aberdeenshire
- Angus
- Perth and Kinross
- Moray
- Highland
- Argyll and Bute
- Stirling
- Clackmannanshire
- Fife
England
- Northumberland
- County Durham
- Cumbria
- North Yorkshire
- West Yorkshire
- South Yorkshire
- Lancashire
- Greater Manchester
- Derbyshire
- Nottinghamshire
- Staffordshire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Norfolk
- Suffolk
- Cambridgeshire
Wales
- Gwynedd
- Conwy
- Denbighshire
- Powys
- Ceredigion
According to the Met Office long-range forecast covering Wednesday January 14 to Friday January 23, the UK is set to experience largely unsettled conditions throughout the period. Atlantic low-pressure systems are expected to dominate, bringing frequent showers or longer spells of rain to many areas.
The wettest weather is most likely across western regions and areas of high ground, where rainfall totals could be highest. The Met Office also warns of periods of strong winds or gales, particularly around exposed coasts and if deeper low-pressure systems develop close to the UK.
While milder air will often return between weather systems, the forecast suggests brief colder interludes are possible. It is during one of these colder spells, around January 22, that weather models show the potential for snow to fall further south than usual, including parts of Essex and Cambridgeshire.
Despite the risk of wintry weather, the Met Office says temperatures overall are expected to be close to or slightly above average for the time of year, meaning any snow in southern areas is likely to be short-lived. Shorter spells of drier, calmer weather are also expected between bouts of rain and wind.
Forecasters stress that long-range snowfall predictions can still change, but the emerging signal of colder air later in the month is being closely monitored as winter weather remains highly changeable across the UK.