Kent snow forecast by BBC Weather as cold snap brings freezing temperatures this February
Parts of Kent could see snow flurries this month as another cold snap is just around the corner, bringing freezing temperatures, frost and sleet. From Friday, February 7 the mercury is expected to drop to 0C and below across the county, marking the start of a prolonged chilly spell.
The Met Office states that a high pressure system will sit to the east of the UK until Sunday, February 16. During this period, southern and eastern areas will see mostly dry conditions while temperatures sink below average.
Current BBC forecasts predict teeth-chattering overnight lows of -2C around this time as daytime temperatures between February 9 and 13 struggle to exceed 5C in Kent. As such, spells of sleet are likely to develop for much of the county on the weekend of February 8 and 9.
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Given that these are long range forecasts, there is a good chance that these could change before the dates arrive. The Met Office is yet to given detailed day-to-day forecasts for this period, but has said that a cold spells may be on the cards.
The Met Office long range forecast for this period states: “High pressure will sit close to (and probably to the east of) the UK in this period. Consequently, southern and eastern areas are likely to see the driest conditions, with lightest winds, which could lead to overnight frost and fog with temperatures a little below normal.
"Further north and west, there is a risk of incursions of Atlantic air and frontal systems at times, which would bring some rain here, but with milder temperatures. There is a very low chance that if the high orientates in such a way that a more easterly (rather than southerly/southeasterly) flow develops, a spell of much colder conditions could develop across the UK, with a risk of wintry showers in some parts.”
Following any weekend sleet showers, the BBC then predicts light snow flurries will develop over many parts of Kent between Monday, February 10 and Tuesday, February 11. Snow could fall on Monday in Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone from around 4pm, according to BBC Weather.
For other parts of the county, such as Rochester, Sittingbourne and Dartford, drizzly rain and more sleet are likely on these two days. With the chilly conditions expected to continue for the remainder of the week, there is a chance for further sleet showers to develop over much of the county during the weekend beginning February 15.
Weather maps from WXCharts then predict even more snow flurries in the south east on Monday, February 17. On this date, snow could fall at a rate of around 1cm per hour with wintery showers sweeping across most of Kent from the early morning, persisting into the evening.