South Essex weather: Snow warning issued by Met Office

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice across the whole of the South East for Saturday, Sunday and into next week. 

It says snow showers could bring up to 4cm of snow in places, and even 7cm in higher areas.

The Met Office says to expect:

• A small chance of travel delays on roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel
• A small chance that power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage, may be affected
• A slight chance that some rural communities could become cut off
• A small chance that untreated pavements and cycle paths become impassable
•  

Weather models continue the cold theme with a strong easterly in place from Sunday. With the jet stream south of the UK, the dense cold air mass will not be going anywhere fast. A lengthy cold spell on the way, coldest of the winter so far.

— Essex Weather Centre (@EssexWeather) February 3, 2021

Cold air from Scandinavia is sitting across the north of the UK for much of this week, while to the Southwest warm, moist air is pushing in from the Atlantic.

Where these two air masses meet rain turns to snow.

READ MORE: 

• Weather chart shows when it is most likely to snow in Essex this weekend
• Met Office says Beast for the East could arrive next week

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Mark Sidaway, said: “Into the weekend snow will continue across much of Scotland, and is likely to increasingly fall to low levels before beginning to move south into northern and eastern England.

“We are likely to see some very large accumulations across higher parts of Scotland especially, with strong winds leading to significant drifting and blizzard conditions at times.

“Although amounts of snow across England are likely to be less, they could still cause some problems as we go into the weekend.”

Next week will stay chilly for much of the UK with brisk easterly winds making it feel even colder.