Met Office predicts possible blizzard for southern England

4:29pm Tuesday 15th January 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Luke Tugby, Senior reporter

Snow during a prevous winter in Southampton Snow during a prevous winter in Southampton

THE SOUTH could be facing blizzard conditions later this week, according to forecasts from the Met Office.

Forecasters have warned that a combination of bitterly cold winds, snow and ice could batter the county on Friday, with up to 15cm of the white stuff predicted on higher ground.

And the rest of the county could be blanketed with around 5cm of snow by Friday afternoon.

Met Office experts have warned that the blizzard-like conditions could cause travel chaos across the south and have urged residents to regularly check weather forecasts throughout the week.

Snow warnings are also in place tomorrow as Hampshire braces itself for the full force of the bone-chilling Siberian temperatures.

The county has so far avoided the worst of the cold snap, as snow and ice have wreaked havoc in other parts of the country.

Experts have warned that the main risk to residents will be sheets of ice on our roads and pavements left behind by the sub-zero temperatures.

But forecasters admit there is “quite a lot of uncertainty” about the progress of the blizzard, with heavy rain also a possibility rather than snow.

The Siberian chill comes after the Daily Echo launched its Stay Warm campaign, which is urging people across the county to look out for elderly friends, relatives and neighbours during the bitterly cold snap.

The campaign has already been backed by council chiefs and charities, including Age Concern Southampton.

And today, national charity, Action for Blind People, has encouraged residents to spare an extra thought for those suffering from sight loss, by guiding them around slippery surfaces and contacting them regularly to make sure they are ok.

Comments(21)

sotonwinch09 says...
4:41pm Tue 15 Jan 13

lol

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mickey01 says...
4:52pm Tue 15 Jan 13

i thought that it was snowing yesterday then i realised my dandruff was getting worse

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Ginger_cyclist says...
5:03pm Tue 15 Jan 13

It will be fun if or when it does snow, I don't have winter tyres but that's ok, it then helps me learn to control my bike smoothly, the smoother the control you have, the more efficient your riding becomes.

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Hdg end mo says...
5:17pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Echo, is this the same warning as last week lol

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nedscrumpo says...
5:47pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Bum; I was going to Portland this Friday! Hope it stays away until Saturday and then traps me there for a fortnight!

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eurogordi says...
6:00pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Just one problem. The Met Office website seems to give a completely different version of the weather forecast for the next five days! Light snow for the Southampton region yes, but blizzards no.

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forest hump says...
6:39pm Tue 15 Jan 13

eurogordi wrote:
Just one problem. The Met Office website seems to give a completely different version of the weather forecast for the next five days! Light snow for the Southampton region yes, but blizzards no.
Why let a good sensational story interfere with facts? Journalist claptrap, they are all guessers.

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forest hump says...
6:40pm Tue 15 Jan 13

eurogordi wrote:
Just one problem. The Met Office website seems to give a completely different version of the weather forecast for the next five days! Light snow for the Southampton region yes, but blizzards no.
Why let a good sensational story interfere with facts? Journalist claptrap, they are all guessers.

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Huffter says...
7:26pm Tue 15 Jan 13

forest hump wrote:
eurogordi wrote: Just one problem. The Met Office website seems to give a completely different version of the weather forecast for the next five days! Light snow for the Southampton region yes, but blizzards no.
Why let a good sensational story interfere with facts? Journalist claptrap, they are all guessers.
The key word is "possible" - ALL things are possible!

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freefinker says...
7:33pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Huffter wrote:
forest hump wrote:
eurogordi wrote: Just one problem. The Met Office website seems to give a completely different version of the weather forecast for the next five days! Light snow for the Southampton region yes, but blizzards no.
Why let a good sensational story interfere with facts? Journalist claptrap, they are all guessers.
The key word is "possible" - ALL things are possible!
.. not 'ALL' - that's just silly.

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cantthinkofone says...
8:13pm Tue 15 Jan 13

freefinker wrote:
Huffter wrote:
forest hump wrote:
eurogordi wrote: Just one problem. The Met Office website seems to give a completely different version of the weather forecast for the next five days! Light snow for the Southampton region yes, but blizzards no.
Why let a good sensational story interfere with facts? Journalist claptrap, they are all guessers.
The key word is "possible" - ALL things are possible!
.. not 'ALL' - that's just silly.
Well, mathematically....

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derek james says...
8:56pm Tue 15 Jan 13

if you look at the met's recent predictions "barbecue summer" it was exceptionally cold and wet, ""record warm winter" the 2nd coldest december since records began in 1659 this spring "a record dry summer" 2012 the 2nd wettest year on record, their computer models are based on CO2 inspired global warming (which isn't happening).My old granny could have done better with a piece of seaweed

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business-guru says...
9:04pm Tue 15 Jan 13

What would the MET office know ? they said in March 2012 we were in for a "dry year" and that there would be stand pipes for water until xmas 2012.... they are totally useless...

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derek james says...
9:06pm Tue 15 Jan 13

business-guru wrote:
What would the MET office know ? they said in March 2012 we were in for a "dry year" and that there would be stand pipes for water until xmas 2012.... they are totally useless...
not for nothing are they now known as "the wet office"

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Ginger_cyclist says...
9:40pm Tue 15 Jan 13

derek james wrote:
if you look at the met's recent predictions "barbecue summer" it was exceptionally cold and wet, ""record warm winter" the 2nd coldest december since records began in 1659 this spring "a record dry summer" 2012 the 2nd wettest year on record, their computer models are based on CO2 inspired global warming (which isn't happening).My old granny could have done better with a piece of seaweed
My dad does better with his average home computer while the met struggle with their thousands of computers and super computers.

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Brock_and_Roll says...
11:00pm Tue 15 Jan 13

Not much about this on the BBC or Met Office, but I also use www.netweather.tv

If you tap in my code "SO42" into this, it seems to show the possibility of quite significant rain/snow (3 degrees so marginal) from about 3pm Friday to midnight.

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Ginger_cyclist says...
12:31am Wed 16 Jan 13

Brock_and_Roll wrote:
Not much about this on the BBC or Met Office, but I also use www.netweather.tv

If you tap in my code "SO42" into this, it seems to show the possibility of quite significant rain/snow (3 degrees so marginal) from about 3pm Friday to midnight.
Same site my dad uses, he also predicts significant snowfall on friday.

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saintinpattaya says...
5:55am Wed 16 Jan 13

nedscrumpo wrote:
Bum; I was going to Portland this Friday! Hope it stays away until Saturday and then traps me there for a fortnight!
A fortnight on fraggle rock. Rather you than me lol

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saintinpattaya says...
5:56am Wed 16 Jan 13

A fortnight on fraggle rock. Rather you than me lol

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Totton Ric says...
6:07am Wed 16 Jan 13

Lol & an over prediction, rain only me things !

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S!monOn says...
3:29pm Wed 16 Jan 13

cantthinkofone wrote:
freefinker wrote:
Huffter wrote:
forest hump wrote:
eurogordi wrote: Just one problem. The Met Office website seems to give a completely different version of the weather forecast for the next five days! Light snow for the Southampton region yes, but blizzards no.
Why let a good sensational story interfere with facts? Journalist claptrap, they are all guessers.
The key word is "possible" - ALL things are possible!
.. not 'ALL' - that's just silly.
Well, mathematically....
Like when will the Echo get things right?

Possible? Probable? Just plain silly?

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