It is safe to say we have had it pretty mild this autumn, with (most) our winter coats still packed away in our closets. However, it looks like winter is officially coming – The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice starting from next week.
Looks like the big coats are making a belated appearance after all. Starting from Monday, November 18, Edinburgh will see its temperatures drop below zero during the night. As a result, The Met Office issued a Yellow Weather Warning for Snow & Ice, cautioning Edinburghers for potential disruption.
The Met Office said: “Spells of rain, sleet and snow are likely during Monday and overnight into Tuesday morning. The most likely scenario is for most of the snow to fall on high ground, with 5 to 10 cm possible above 300 metres and perhaps as much as 15 to 20 cm above 400 metres.
There is a small chance of snow settling at lower levels, where 5 to 10 cm would prove much more disruptive, but this is very uncertain. As rain, sleet and snow clear on Tuesday morning, ice may form on untreated surfaces.”
The exact times of the Yellow Weather Warning in Edinburgh
The warning is in place for 24 hours between 10am on November 18 and 10am on November 19. Locals and visitors alike are warned of potential power cuts, “untreated pavements and cycle paths become impassable”, rural communities becoming inaccessible, train and bus delays and/or cancellations and general travel delays while on the road.
After the weather warning is over, the rest of the week will see lower temperatures, with Tuesday, November 19 seeing highs of 5 degrees and lows of -1, while Wednesday, November 20 seeing lows of -2.
In its long-range forecast between November 19 and 28, The Met Office said: “Cold or very cold conditions are likely to affect most if not all parts of the UK early in this period, with wintry showers affecting in particular northern parts and exposed coastal districts.
Overnight frost will likely be widespread and occasionally strong winds will result in significant wind chill. However, there may be more organised areas of rain and snow, accompanied by strong winds, which run across some parts.
This could lead to some disruptive weather at times, especially at the start of this period. Briefly, milder conditions may accompany these in the south. There is a hint that it may become less cold late in the period, but still likely remain mostly unsettled with further spells of rain and snow.”