Britain will be hit by a ‘snow bomb’ after Christmas as another storm drives blizzards and biting gales into the country.
Temperatures are expected to fall below freezing as the New Year comes around and parts of the UK will once again be besieged with the white stuff.
Storm Corrie could drop up to 1cm of snow in the northwest on December 27 before five more storms sweep across England.
It comes despite a warmer mid-month which has seen most of the UK stay towards 10C despite a freezing late November.
Britain will be hit by a ‘snow bomb’ after Christmas as another storm drives blizzards and biting gales into the country. Pictured: Stainmore, Cumbira, last month
British Weather Service meteorologist Jim Dale told the Sun: “We are expecting another major storm this month which will set the trend for the coming months.”
He added, “We expect five to six storms to come through the winter period that could be strong enough to warrant a name.”
He said London is likely to stay away from the gale-force conditions caused by the latest storm but could certainly see snow.
The Met Office also said there could be a potential for snow in some areas but did not specify where those were in its long-term forecast.
It said Brits should expect a dry and overcast Christmas with fog in parts and the possibility of drizzle and frost in some parts overnight.
However, meteorologists said the country should brace for more unsettled and windier weather after Christmas, when the storms start to bite.
Temperatures are expected to fall below freezing as the New Year comes around and parts of the UK will once again be besieged with the white stuff. Pictured: Leadhills, South Lanarkshire, last month
The Met Office said: “Early on in this period it will become sedentary and mostly dry with large amounts of cloud, although at times cloud may well be thick enough for occasional drizzle.
“In general, cloud amounts will tend to decrease over time, with a corresponding increase in the risk of night fog and frost, which may be slow to clear during the day in some areas.
“Towards the middle of the period there is an increasing likelihood that the weather in the UK will become more unsettled and windier, with rain and possibly snow possible in some places.
“Temperatures are generally almost below normal, perhaps quite cold in the south where fog persists, cool and locally mild in the north and northwest.”
Graphs provided by BBC Weather show storms swirling around Britain next week after the Christmas period
Britain was hit by two storms last month, leaving thousands without power for over a week and damaging wildlife.
Dozens of sick and dead puffins have washed ashore in Orkney, raising concerns for their well-being after Storm Arwen hit it.
Vets from Flett and Carmichael, a local practice on the Scottish island, said large numbers of dead birds – including a number of puffins – were found on Scapa Beach and other beaches around Orkney.
They said the birds given to them were “very weak,” with some requiring rehydration fluids to keep them alive.
The practice confirmed that the deaths are reported to the Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Veterinarian Leah Hunter said investigations are being carried out into why the puffins are being found dead or barely alive on the island.
She said the practice is currently in contact with the Center for Ecology and Hydrology, which is collecting information on the dead puffins found in north-east Scotland and now Orkney.
Dozens of sick and dead puffins washed ashore in Orkney, prompting concern for their well-being after it was hit by Storm Arwen (file photo).
“At this time of year the puffins should be far out to sea in groups so the fact that they are washing up on shore means things have unfortunately gone wrong for them,” said Ms Hunter.
“But we will try to treat them as best we can and try to bring them back home if they survive the next few days. The puffins introduced to us were very weak and cold.”
Earlier this year large numbers of seabirds, including puffins, guillemots and razorbills, were found dead along the east coast of Scotland and other parts of the UK.
The RSPB has previously said that although the exact cause of death of these birds is unknown, climate change is having an impact in reducing prey fish numbers and causing more extreme weather events.
Ms Hunter said recent extreme weather events, including Storm Arwen, which battered parts of north-east Scotland, may have had an impact on some of the puffins.
She added: “An investigation is underway to determine if there is an unusual reason for this event. We don’t have any further information yet.’
The Scottish Government said its Marine Scotland Directorate vessels had collected water, plankton and fish samples from the country’s east coast to study the presence of potentially harmful species of algae that could harm seabirds.
“These samples are currently being analyzed and we will announce the results in due course,” the spokesman said. “Further work is also being done to investigate whether changes in prey abundance or quality are a possible factor.
“We continue to work closely with a number of other organizations to investigate a number of possible causes of this unusual and disturbing event.
“Wild birds can carry various diseases that are contagious to humans, so citizens should not touch or pick up dead or visibly sick birds that they find along the Scottish coast.”
