Scotland snow maps show entire country buried in '1cm per hour' flurries this Valentine's weekend
Scotland is bracing for another blast of wintry weather, with new forecasts showing the entire country could be buried under heavy snowfall. Weather maps from WXCharts, using MetDesk data, indicate intense flurries hitting Scotland and other areas of the UK, with snowfall rates reaching up to 2 cm per hour.
Couples hoping for a romantic Valentine's weekend in Scotland may have their plans disrupted, as forecasters warn of heavy snowfall across the country. As wintry conditions set in, those going out for date nights or weekend getaways may need to prepare for delays and treacherous roads.
From 9pm on February 15, maps show western Scotland, the Highlands, and the Scottish Borders turning shades of purple, signalling significant snow accumulation. By 9am the following morning, the snow is expected to become more scattered but will still bring heavy snowfall to parts of eastern Scotland, Inverness, and the Central Belt.
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Other areas in northern England, including the Pennines and northern Lincolnshire, are also set to see wintry conditions, Mirror reported.
Scotland is set for a fresh blanket of snow, with WXCharts maps showing depths of up to 7cm in the Highlands by 16 February. The Central Belt is also expected to see around 5cm of snow, while conditions further south remain wintry but less severe.
North of the border, snowfall is likely to linger, while in northern England, areas such as the Pennines, Northumbria, and Cumbria are forecast to see between 1cm and 3cm of snow.
According to the Met Office, the weather for Thursday is expected to remain rather gloomy, with cloudy skies dominating much of the UK. Patchy rain and hill snow will affect the northeast, while the northwest will see some brighter spells. In contrast, the far southwest will be cloudier, with rain making its way in later in the day. Temperatures will stay cool throughout.
Looking ahead to the weekend, the national forecaster's outlook from Friday to Sunday shows more of the same, with cloudy conditions and occasional rain and hill snow. On Friday, the far west faces an increased risk of heavier rain. A cold easterly breeze will persist, keeping the chilly conditions in place across much of the country.
In its long-range forecast for 16–25 February, the Met Office warned of continued cold conditions and wintry showers, though milder and wetter weather could also push across parts of the UK.
"South or south-easterly winds are likely at the start of this period, and will maintain below average temperatures and often cloudy conditions," the Met Office said. "There is a chance of even colder conditions developing temporarily, which would see more wintry showers, especially in north-eastern areas.
"Meanwhile, frontal zones, bringing milder conditions and rain, will attempt to move in from the west or southwest. Early in this period these look likely to have limited influence over the UK (apart from the far SW which may already be milder by this point).
"If, or when, they push further north-eastwards the chance of some snow increases. The transition between colder and milder conditions remains uncertain, but towards the end of this period, the milder, wetter conditions are likely to have spread across much of the country."
