The sequel no-one asked for could hit London as soon as early February.
We never want to panic you with this sort of talk, obviously. But we do like to keep a weather eye on the horizon, particularly if there’s any chance it’ll result in another article like this. To which end, it’s become impossible to ignore the whispers of impending snow, the fervent hints that something cold, white, and wintery is coming our way: no less a phenomenon than the possible return of 2018’s dreaded ‘Beast from the East’.
As always, there’s a fair bit of soothsaying involved in such a prediction; still, professional and amateur weathercasters alike, along with our friends in the north, are starting to reach the same conclusion, as things start to kick off this week. Temperatures are set to head south pretty sharpish, with Wednesday reportedly the last day the mercury will hit double-digits for a while. Come Thursday, we’re plunged back into the frigid depths of January, in a bitter reminder that spring is a long way off, with temperature dipping into the minus zone when the sun goes down.
The Met Office, amongst the most sober-minded forecasters, concede the chance of snow as early as next week. As temperatures plummet and the rain draws in, they warn “the rain could turn to snow almost anywhere […] some drier, brighter spells are likely, perhaps with snow showers, especially in the east.” They’ve earmarked late January and early February as the official danger zone, with “cold weather established across all of the UK, with temperatures [becoming] cold or very cold. This would bring a greater risk of snow, ice, and widespread frost”.
So there you have it – science says we’re getting snow this year. In the meantime, I guess your only job is to work on a catchy name for the Beast to the East sequel, since my best offering right now is Beast from the East 2: Snowtastic Boogaloo.
Featured image: @antbuchet