UK snow: Brits face 'topsy turvy' week with yellow warnings for Scotland and England

11 January 2021, 15:20 | Updated: 11 January 2021, 17:07

Snow could hit most parts of the UK by Thursday as Brits are due to expect a "topsy turvy" week for weather.

Yellow weather warnings are in place for Scotland and parts of northern England and the midlands for snow through to Thursday with the highest regions looking at up to two inches of snow.

Tonight, rain will move southwards and it will clear much of Scotland, leading to a dry and mostly clear night. However, the rain will affect Northern Ireland, northern England and Wales, before it reaches southern England later.

But there could be widespread frost across most of Scotland by late evening tonight, spreading to the northeast and northwest of England.

Meteorologist Alex Burkill from the Met Office said we can expect a nice "but chilly day" tomorrow.

But it will be a "topsy turvy week" and the prospect of snowfall across the UK is on a "knife-edge".

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He told LBC: "Today we can expect to see two inches of snow on the highest ground.

But in the middle of the week, by Wednesday, there could be as much as 30cm of snow in some parts.

"Tomorrow will be a nice day for many, but chilly. But it really will be a topsy turvy week and we could either see snow or a lot of damp weather.

"If it rains then it will stop the snow but if it doesn't rain then we can see snow creep into northern parts of England such as Lincolnshire."

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When asked about whether southern parts of the country including London could see snowfall, he replied: "If they do it will likely be mixed in with rain and sleet so won't settle".

Public Health England is also issuing a cold weather warning from 6pm on Monday, January 11 to 9am Friday, January 15.

Dr Owen Landeg, Principal Environmental Public Health Scientist at PHE, said: "It’s important to try to heat your home to at least 18° Celsius, 64.4 Fahrenheit, particularly if you have reduced mobility, are 65 and over, or have a health condition, such as heart or lung disease.

"Wearing a few layers of thin clothing is better at trapping heat than one thick layer and wear shoes with a good grip if you need to go outside to reduce the risk of slips and injury and the need for a hospital visit.

"Remember to keep checking on frail or older neighbours or relatives, especially those living alone or who have serious illnesses, by making a phone call or a social-distanced doorstep visit to those close by.

"If you are struggling to afford heating bills, Simple Energy Advice provides free advice on energy efficiency and national grants that could help you keep warm and well."

The snow warning comes as Spain is dealing with 20inches of snow in Madrid with a large swathe of the country becoming impassable.

So far, the blizzard has claimed four people's lives.

Storm Filomena lost strength as it moved eastwards but authorities were still urging people to remain at home to limit the risk of falls on icy streets ahead of a severe drop in temperatures in the coming days.

Spain's weather service forecasts temperatures to drop as low as minus 14C (6F) in the eastern province of Albacete by Tuesday.