You thought today was snowy? You’re in for a shock on Tuesday…
Really, we don’t mean to harp on about it, but the snow is predicted to hit London tomorrow. Yes, we know it snowed today, but if the latest forecasts are to be believed, the ‘Beast from the East’ is going to hit HARD tomorrow. The Met Office has forecast an amber warning for the capital, and London sits right in the danger zone. Cue the Kenny Loggins!
All jokes aside, if this turns out to be true, we’re in for some serious flakes. Amber is the second highest warning the Met Office use, so this could be a biggie. The Chief Forecaster said:
‘Further snow showers are expected through Tuesday, these likely to be heavy in places and probably aligned in bands. Where this happens, there is the potential for 5-10 cm of powdery snow accumulating, possibly very locally 15 cm, through the morning, before easing during the afternoon. Meanwhile some nearby locations may see only small accumulations of 1-3 cm.’
The warning is in place from 2am to 12pm Tuesday, with ‘longer periods of snow’ forecast to bring as much as four inches of snow. Temperatures will hover around freezing, but the wind will make it feel as cold as -7°C through the morning.
Furthermore, the Met Office are saying that this is dry snow, which settles more easily and is prone to forming snowdrifts. Great for budding Winter Olympians, but the rest of us can expect downsides including road delays, disruptions to rail and air travel, and even the odd power cut. Smashing.
The BBC are reporting that South Eastern Rail, Southern, Thameslink, and Gatwick Express are all forecasting disrupted services. TfL rail are scaling back services overnight on Monday, so trains to Liverpool Street are expected to be extremely busy. As for the airports, both Gatwick and Heathrow are strongly suggesting you check flights status with the airline for any changes.
Going further into the week, London is set to be downgraded to a yellow warning for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, but you can bet any snow will still wreak the usual havoc on London’s transport systems. If ever there was time for a cheeky snow day, your time may have come.
Featured image: William Edgill via Flickr