UK weather maps have indicated that as many as 30 counties could experience snowfall between May 6 and May 8, as the Met Office forecasts a shift toward more changeable and unsettled conditions. The latest projections from WXCharts, utilizing data from MetDesk, suggest that parts of Scotland, northern England, and Wales may see snow showers or a light dusting of snow during this period.
Timing and Regions Affected
The colder, wintry snap is expected to follow a stretch of predominantly dry weather, with a mix of sunshine and cloud through late April and early May, driven by high pressure. According to the Met Office, the change will bring bands of heavy rain sweeping across much of the country around midday on Wednesday, May 6. However, purple shading on the maps indicates that snow is likely in large parts of Scotland, along with some areas of northern England, particularly the Pennines, as temperatures drop.
By the evening of May 6, the worst of the wet weather is expected to clear, leaving scattered showers in western regions. Nonetheless, the Grampians and Snowdonia could still see some snow by around 9 pm. Into the morning of May 7, further wintry patches are shown over the Grampians, with some snow lingering into May 8, alongside parts of southern Scotland.
Full List of Counties at Risk
Based on the latest maps, the following counties are set for snow between May 6 and May 8:
Scottish Counties
- Argyll and Bute
- Aberdeenshire
- Aberdeen City
- Moray
- Angus
- Fife
- Highland
- Stirling
- East Lothian
- Clackmannanshire
- Perth and Kinross
- West Dunbartonshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- Glasgow City
- Renfrewshire
- Inverclyde
- North Lanarkshire
- South Lanarkshire
- East Ayrshire
- North Ayrshire
- South Ayrshire
- Dumfries and Galloway
English Counties
- Cumbria
- Tyne and Wear
- County Durham
- Northumberland
- North Yorkshire
Welsh Counties
- Powys
- Gwynedd
- Conwy
Met Office Long-Range Forecast
In its long-range forecast from Thursday, May 7, to Thursday, May 21, the Met Office states: "A generally more changeable or unsettled spell of weather compared to the previous couple of weeks. This comes about as Atlantic low pressure systems move towards the UK, increasing the chance of periods of heavy rain and perhaps strong winds at times."
Towards the middle of the month, weather patterns become increasingly uncertain; however, the wettest and windiest conditions seem most likely to be in the northwest, with drier and more settled conditions in the southeast. Temperatures will likely be near or a little above normal overall.
