Met Office warns two-word weather phenomenon will hit UK from Sunday
The Met Office has warned a rare weather phenomenon will hit the UK today. The Met Office has warned the country could be hit by snow grains, which are the solid equivalent of drizzle and look like very small white and opaque grains of ice.
The Met Office advises: "Snow grains are a very small form of solid precipitation. This type of precipitation appears as very small white and opaque grains of ice. These grains are fairly flat or elongated with a diameter generally less than 1mm. Snow grains are the solid equivalent to drizzle."
Meteorologist Kathryn Chalk said: "It is going to be a cold night underneath this blanket of cloud, temperatures close to freezing, but still mild across Northern Ireland and western parts of Scotland. So if you are up early Sunday morning on your stroll across the south, you may see some drizzle, but also some snow grain being brought up from the English Channel."
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In the short term, a Met Office forecast for Sunday (January 19) posted at 4am explains: "A mostly cloudy day, with a risk of drizzle and snow grains in the south where cloud is thick enough. Some brighter spells possible in in the north and west, although patchy rain in the far west later. Chilly.
"Cloudy for most with patchy rain across western Scotland and Northern Ireland easing by dawn. Turning chilly with some mist and fog, especially under any clear spells." Looking at Monday, January 20, it added: "Another cloudy day on Monday with patchy drizzle in England and Wales.
"Rain in the northwest turning showery, perhaps heavy at times. Some sunny spells for Northern Ireland and Scotland." The 4am update from the forecasting agency also gives an early o utlook for Tuesday to Thursday this week, too.
It states: " A rather cloudy outlook with showery rain spreading erratically eastwards. Temperatures generally around average in the north, but chilly further south."