Met Office names 2 UK areas facing snow before Monday

The Met Office has named the areas of the UK forecast to face snow before Monday as a low-pressure weather system moves in from the Atlantic.

Storm Dave is forecast to bring very strong winds to much of northern Britain this weekend, with sleet and heavy snow also on the cards in some parts of the country. Several yellow severe weather warnings for wind have been issued from Saturday afternoon and evening into Sunday, covering the whole of Scotland, Northern Ireland, north Wales and parts of northern England. Across all warning areas, gusts of 50-60mph are expected widely, while wind speeds of up to 70mph are possible in some exposed locations.

Scotland is expected to face the worst of the weather, with gusts reaching up to 80-90mph for a short time in exposed locations. As well as strong winds, sleet and heavy snow is also forecast in Scotland, with outbreaks of snow forecast to spread from the south during Saturday afternoon before turning heavy later into the evening.

By Saturday evening, around 5-10cm of snow is likely quite widely on lower levels, potentially reching 15cm in some areas, while up to 30cm could accumulate over higher ground.

As winds increase, blizzard conditions and drifting snow are likely, leading to very poor visibility across the hills and mountains of northwest Scotland, while rain at lower levels could lead to surface water flooding in some areas.

A 13-hour yellow weather warning for snow covers northwest Scotland from 2pm on Saturday until 3am on Sunday, with the weather expected to lead to some disruption.

Roads and railways are likely to be affected, while spray and flooding on roads could make journey times longer. Possible power cuts and interruption to other services, like mobile phones, is also likely.

The Met Office said: “ Outbreaks of snow will spread from the south during the afternoon this becoming heavy at times later in the afternoon and evening, before clearing in the early hours.

"5-10cm is likely quite widely to low levels, chance of 15cm in places, with 20-30cm possible on ground above 200m. Strengthening winds will bring drifting of lying snow with the chance of blizzard conditions over the more exposed areas. Some areas of low ground will see rain rather than snow which may lead to minor surface water flooding in places."

Listed are the UK areas covered by a yellow snow warning on Saturday:

Storm Dave is forecast to clear into the North Sea on Sunday afternoon, but frequent blustery snow showers are expected in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, and these showers will fall as rain further south in parts of England and Wales.

Met Office weather maps show some snowfall over western and northern areas of Scotland early on Sunday morning, including Stornoway, Ullapool, Craig, Fort William, Loch Rannoch, Glasgow and Dumfries, while in Northern Island, snowfall is forecast over areas including Londonderry, Cookstown, Armagh, Belfast and Castlewellan.

Easter Monday will bring a much drier and settled day, with lots of cloud across the UK and a few brighter spells in the far south of England and northeastern parts of Scotland.

To prepare for the windy and snowy weather this weekend, drivers are advised to check for delays and road closures before setting off and to ensure essentials are packed in cars ahead of journeys, including warm clothing, food, water, a torch, de-icer and an in-car phone charger.

RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis added: “The arrival of Storm Dave is set to make driving conditions across the north and west of the UK this Easter particularly challenging.

"While we expect leisure traffic volumes to be slightly lower on Saturday and Sunday compared with the rest of the bank holiday, there will still be millions of people on the roads visiting friends and family.

"Drivers shouldn’t underestimate the impact of the very strong winds that are forecast. We recommend taking extra care on exposed, higher routes and being especially cautious when overtaking high‑sided vehicles, as the buffeting effect can catch some people out. Slowing down and keeping a firm grip on the steering wheel are both vital in these conditions.”