UK weather maps show snow in 16 counties as storm brings ‘4cm per hour’ – list

A major storm looks set to hit the UK by the end of this week, bringing fierce winds, torrential rain and potentially even snow . BBC Weather forecasters have already warned that we could see the first named storm of the season over the next few days, and the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for strong winds. The ECMWF weather model now shows a huge weather front making landfall on Saturday, bringing heavy rain to the south-west, Wales, northern England and Scotland at around midday. However, this precipitation could fall as snow over higher ground in Scotland. Where flurries are most intense, the data shows snow falling at a rate of around 4cm per hour. More snow could follow in Scotland in the early hours of Sunday too. In total, the ECMWF weather model suggests 16 counties could see some flurries over the weekend. Ross-shire and Cromartyshire Inverness-shire Nairnshire Morayshire Banffshire Aberdeenshire Perthshire Kincardineshire Angus Stirlingshire Dunbarton Argyllshire Buteshire Ayrshire Wigtownshire Kirkcudbrightshire The Met Office says it expects the weather front to make landfall overnight on Thursday and into Friday. Its wind warning covers parts of Wales and southern England, where winds speeds could reach 70mph, and it awaits to be seen whether the forecaster will be forced to issue more before the storm arrives. “An area of the forecast we’re particularly focusing on is the development of a potentially deep area of low pressure that could cross the UK overnight on Thursday and through Friday,” Deputy Chief forecaster Tom Crabtree said. “It has the potential to bring some strong winds, though the location of the strongest winds will be determined by the low position. At this stage, people should keep an eye on the forecast and be prepared for some unsettled weather at the end of the week.” If the weather system meets the criteria for naming, it would be called 'Storm Austen' under the storm-naming system used by the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands. However, if the low-pressure system takes a more southerly track, meaning its impacts are greater in France and less severe in the UK, it would be called ‘Storm Bruna’ by France's national weather service, Météo-France.