Met Office warns UK snow will last longer than initially expected

The UK has been handed a horror snow update ahead of 5cm of the white stuff hammering down on England in the coming days. The Met Office has issued a fresh snow warning as snowfall is predicted for Northern Ireland and Wales.

The Met Office has extended its snow and ice warnings until 10am on Wednesday, says the forecaster. Netweather's Terry Scholey explained: "Wednesday sees further sunny spells but it'll remain very cold in a bitter North West wind, with temperatures on the whole getting no higher than 2 to 4C.

"Only the far South West and the Channel Islands will be somewhat milder. More blustery hail, sleet and snow showers are expected particularly over the northern half of Scotland, where further blizzards are likely in the mountains."

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Monday night saw sub-zero temperatures for much of the UK, reaching as low as -11.2°C at Braemar in Aberdeenshire. Snowfall has also begun, with 12cm of lying snow reported at Watnall, Nottinghamshire on Tuesday morning as an Arctic airmass continues to influence the UK’s weather.

"Again it'll be exposed coasts that bear the brunt of the showers, particularly those of Northern Ireland, North Wales and the South West where they're more likely to fall as rain or sleet. Elsewhere the showers will be more scattered, with the best of the sunshine in sheltered central and southern parts," he added.

And Exacta Weather's James madden said: "Beyond this first widespread snow event throughout this evening and into tomorrow, we will then see the wintry precipitation and snow showers continuing sporadically across the country throughout the whole working week, and literally anywhere could see a developing snow shower or two, with some more prominent snow showers continuing across the north and in many western and eastern coastal areas, particularly across large parts of Wales and, more unusually but temporarily, in some southern parts of Ireland on our current indications.

"Additionally, and more importantly, an area of significant low pressure will then become more threatening to elsewhere and other forecasters from later this week (around Friday to Sunday), and this will signal an end to the cold and wintry weather from elsewhere upon first glance to them and how it will eventually bring a return to some less cold and even mild conditions afterwards."