UK Braces for Snow and Rain as Met Office Issues Multiple Weather Warnings
The United Kingdom is preparing for another bout of severe weather as the Met Office has issued multiple yellow warnings for snow and heavy rainfall across various regions. This comes just days after the country was battered by Storm Chandra, which caused significant flooding and disruption in several areas.
Travel Chaos in Devon and Cornwall
In the southwest of England, a yellow weather warning for rain remains in effect across Cornwall and Devon until 9pm on Tuesday. The persistent downpours have already led to substantial travel disruptions, with train services severely affected. Great Western Railways has suspended all services between Exeter St Davids, Barnstable, and Crediton due to floodwater inundating the tracks. The company has apologised to passengers and indicated that these routes are not expected to reopen until Wednesday at the earliest. Bus services in the region are also experiencing widespread cancellations and delays, compounding the travel woes for local residents.
Snow Warnings Blanket Scotland
Further north, Scotland is facing a different weather challenge with two separate yellow warnings for snow now in place. The first warning covers a vast swathe of the country, extending north from Stirling and encompassing Perth, Aviemore, Inverness, Fife, and the Highlands, reaching as far as the Orkney Islands. This warning comes into force at midnight on Tuesday and will remain active until 3pm on Wednesday. A second, more targeted warning has been issued specifically for the Shetland Islands, effective from 6pm on Tuesday through to the end of Wednesday. Notably, the West and North West of Scotland are currently unaffected by these alerts.
Ferry Services Disrupted
The adverse conditions are also impacting maritime travel, with ferry operator CalMac announcing several yellow and amber warnings for disruption and cancellations across many of its services. This adds to the transportation headaches, particularly for island communities reliant on these connections. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has concurrently issued a flood warning for the Churchill Barriers area of the Orkney Islands, highlighting the multifaceted risks posed by the current weather patterns.
Met Office Forecasts Further Unsettled Conditions
The Met Office's five-day forecast paints a picture of continued unsettled weather across the UK. Tuesday is expected to see persistent rain moving northwards across the South, with further rain and snow on hills in northeast Scotland. Tuesday night will bring rain turning to snow on higher ground in Wales, the Pennines, and eastern Scotland, with windy conditions in the North. Wednesday will see rain and hill snow confined to northern regions, while the South enjoys drier conditions with some brighter spells. The outlook for Thursday to Saturday suggests the unsettled pattern will persist, with further outbreaks of cloud and rain, brief bright spells, and more hill snow expected across northern parts later in the week.
Context of a Exceptionally Wet Period
This latest round of severe weather follows an already exceptionally wet start to the year. Provisional data from the Met Office reveals that last month was the second-wettest January on record in Northern Ireland since comparable records began in 1836, with 195.6mm of rainfall—70% more than the long-term average. Southern England experienced its sixth-wettest January, with 136.8mm representing 74% more rainfall than typical. England as a whole saw 50% more than average, ranking as the 15th wettest January. This period of intense precipitation has been driven by three named storms—Goretti, Ingrid, and Chandra—which brought significant downpours, leading to flooding and widespread travel disruption across many parts of the country.
The Met Office has warned that the further adverse weather could lead to additional flooding and disruption, with a chance that fast-flowing or deep floodwater could pose a danger to life. Authorities are urging the public to stay informed through official channels and to exercise caution when travelling.
