Several inches of snow is set to fall this weekend among the worst of Storm Eowyn, with several inches feared to fall in several locations as people are warned to take care
Concerning maps have shown where in the UK will face snow this weekend – in some places just hours after the worst of Storm Eowyn has passed.
The Met Office has been forced to issue several weather warnings for today and Saturday. Friday has warnings for snow, rain and wind, covering the entire country. Two extremely rare red warnings for wind are in place on Friday for wind in both Northern Ireland and Scotland , covering Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
On Saturday, the snowfall will continue in some places in Scotland and northern England. The most will be in the Highlands, where several cms are feared and could cause travel disruption for those travelling on the day. Cities in England, including Newcastle, Leeds and Liverpool could also have some flurries.
On Sunday, the snow will move a little further south covering much of the north west, as well as into Wales and Northern Ireland. Mark Nash, Duty Manager at National Highways, said: “We are expecting high winds and rain to hit most parts of the country later this week.
“If you’re planning to drive over the next few days, prepare in advance for the journey and take extra care on the roads. If weather conditions become challenging, adjust your driving behaviour to manage the conditions as safely as possible.”
Today is set to bring nightmare weather conditions to several places. Brits have been warned of the potential for winds which could cause damage to buildings, as well as power cuts.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “We reserve the issuing of Red Warnings for the most severe weather which represents a likely danger to life and severe disruption, and that is the case with Storm Éowyn.
“While it will be widely very windy on Friday, with additional hazards from rain and snow, the strongest winds and most significant impacts are likely in Northern Ireland and central and southwestern parts of Scotland within the Red Warning areas, where winds could gust 80-90 mph quite widely for a time, and potentially up to 100 mph for exposed coasts in particular.
“It’s important to note that even those away from the immediate Red Warning areas will still likely see disruptive weather, with travel plans likely to be severely impacted, as well as the possibility of power cuts for some.”
Today, Storm Éowyn is expected to cross Northern Ireland early on. It will then continue northeast across the northern half of Scotland during Friday afternoon and is expected to be centred near Shetland during Friday evening.
Yellow and amber warnings cover the rest of the country. The Met Office said: “Heavy rain associated with Storm Éowyn clears eastwards through Friday, with strong winds continuing across the UK, these particularly damaging and disruptive for Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland.
