The UK braces for a cold snap with temperatures potentially dropping to -20C on Friday night, especially in Scotland and northern England
City: UK
So, it looks like the UK is in for a real chill this Friday night. The Met Office is warning that temperatures could plummet to around -20C in some spots, especially in Scotland and northern England. Can you believe that?
Just the other night, they were predicting -16C, but the coldest recorded was -14.5C in Altnaharra, Scotland. It’s been a wild ride with all these weather warnings about snow and ice, but the last of them wrapped up on Friday morning.
Tonight is expected to be the coldest yet, with some areas possibly hitting between -15C and -20C. Met Office meteorologist Liam Eslick mentioned that while it’s unlikely many places will actually reach -20C, a few might just scrape by.
Friday is also supposed to kick off a shift in the weather, with milder temps trying to creep in from the southwest. But don’t get too excited; it’s only expected to make limited progress, and we might see some rain, sleet, and snow in the southwest.
They’re saying the snow amounts will probably be small and mostly on high ground, but icy surfaces could be a real issue. Most of the UK will have a dry and bright day, but it’s still going to be super cold with some freezing fog hanging around.
As we get closer to Monday, things should start warming up a bit, with temps hitting around 7C. But for now, if you’re driving, stick to the main roads that are likely to be gritted. Safety first!
Oh, and did you know the coldest January ever recorded in the UK was back in 1982? It hit a bone-chilling -27.2C in Braemar, Aberdeenshire. Just a fun fact to keep in mind while we bundle up!
With all this cold, the RAC has seen a huge spike in rescue calls, the highest since December 2022. They’re urging drivers to be cautious of icy conditions, especially on rural roads where black ice can be tricky to spot.
And it’s not just the cold; heavy snow caused some chaos at Manchester Airport, which had to close its runways for a bit. Plus, some rail lines in Wales were shut down due to damage from the weather.
Schools in Scotland and Wales also faced closures, so it’s been a bit of a mess all around. Just stay warm and safe out there!
