Much of the country faces wintry showers over hills and on low ground as temperatures plunge to -5C (23F) tonight (Thursday)
The Met Office last night issued its “first proper” snow warning of winter across the south with Wales, central and northern England all at risk.
It warned commuters to prepare for travel disruption on Friday morning when the heaviest snowfall is expected..
Spokeswoman Laura Young said: “The worst of it is going to hit on Friday morning during drive time so it could have some impact.
“At
the moment it is still uncertain of what will happen but because of the
expected timing there could be some impact, hence the warning.
“There
could be flurries of snow on low ground and depending on the path of
this system, snow could fall in more southerly parts of the country.
“This is the first proper severe weather warning for snow we have issued for the south.”
BBC
forecaster Carol Kirkwood said a “potent low pressure” system hurtling
towards Britain will trigger the turnaround to the bitterly cold.
She said: “As we move from Thursday into Friday there is a bit of uncertainty in the forecast.
“It looks like there is going to be some wet and windy weather possibly with some snow across some southern areas.”
Leon Brown, forecaster
for The Weather Channel, said parts of the country could see up to eight
inches of snow fall over the next 48 hours.
He said: “A wetter period is coming up for southern Britain later this week and at the start of the weekend.
“Colder too with overnight frost and ice this weekend. There is also a snow risk over higher ground, even over the south.
“There is also a snow risk over the south with some model solutions giving 10 to 20cm [8ins] across South Wales to the Midlands on Saturday.
Jonathan
Powell, forecaster for Vantage Weather Services, said Britain faces
another “flirtation with winter” with a bitterly cold weekend ahead.
He said temperatures will sink below freezing in the south from Friday while the north with shiver in lows of -5C.
He
said: “Thursday is looking grim with blustery winds and showers but
after that there is another vigorous flirtation with winter on the way
with things turning much colder.
“We could see a
covering of snow quite widely across central and northern parts and
Wales by Friday with temperatures sinking comfortably below freezing.
“There
is also a risk of ice with wet ground freezing over, and maybe the
chance of snow over high ground in the south west Devon and Cornwall.”
