Storm and blizzards bringing ‘havoc’ set to follow Big Freeze

If you think the weather has been dramatic so far in 2026, prepare for things to get even more chaotic as the week goes on.

It could get bad for a storm to be officially named (next on the list is Storm Chandra) and Thursday and Friday could be so bad people should just ‘stay at home’, forecaster Jim Dale said.

The meteorologist, who wrote ‘Surviving Extreme Weather’, told Metro that although temperatures will be slightly less freezing, conditions will be more unsettled and could take a ‘massive turn for the worse’.

A low pressure system pushing east is set to bring more heavy snow above it to the north, and rain to the south, with the mid-point likely to be around the latitude of Birmingham.

‘It’s got the potential to cause havoc,’ Mr Dale said. ‘For the UK as a whole, it contains virtually all the elements: heavy rain, heavy snow, high winds, freezing rain… It’s just a case of who gets what.’

The risk from ice could become more severe, with rain landing on already-frozen ground, creating an ice rink effect.

Stormy weather will be caused by relatively milder air from the Atlantic Ocean sweeping in and ‘battling’ the freezing Arctic air which is currently bringing snow and ice.

‘It’s like the red corner versus the blue corner in a boxing match,’ Mr Dale said. ‘The Arctic air is frigid and very difficult to move, so it is effectively a battle. If you’re on the blue side, you’ll get snow, and if you’re in red, you’ll tend to get the rain. But probably most parts will get the wind.’

When the cold air meets the milder air, it will act as the catalyst to create a ‘spinning vortex’ which ends up as a deep low pressure system.

Mr Dale cautioned it is still too early to say for sure whether there will be a damaging storm – and the the Met Office has not yet officially named one.

He said it won’t be called ‘until we get a lot closer, until we see the whites of the eyes of the storm’.

But just in case, it may be sage advice to avoid planning long journeys or outdoor events on Thursday and Friday.

The Met Office forecast for the UK says that from Wednesday into Friday, weather will be ‘staying cold with frontal systems pushing in from the west. A mixture of rain, sleet and snow will move across the country at times with a risk of strong winds.’

After this, ‘a changeable period is expected, with Atlantic frontal systems occasionally affecting the UK, bringing spells of rain, likely preceded by snow in some areas, more especially central, northern and eastern parts.

‘Some significant snowfall is possible in places, particularly on northern hills. These low pressure systems could also bring some strong winds.’

For the immediate future, tonight will be ‘very cold with a widespread frost and icy stretches, staying dry and clear in the south, but cloudier in the north as a band of snow moves in.’

Tomorrow will be another cold day with a mixture of rain, sleet and snow across the north, though it will be drier in the south.

Weather warnings for snow and ice are still in place across the UK today and tomorrow, with Scotland, Wales, the South West, the east coast, and English areas north of Manchester especially badly hit.

Hundreds of schools have been closed, mainly in Wales and Scotland, where drifting snow and ice has left travel virtually impossible in northern areas.

Meanwhile passengers have been left stranded at airports in Manchester, Liverpool, Aberdeen and Inverness.

Five flights from Manchester Airport were cancelled due to wintry conditions at their destinations (Belfast, Aberdeen and the Netherlands).

At least four flights from Liverpool Airport were axed and numerous others delayed for up to four hours after its only runway had to be closed while staff cleared snow and ice.

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