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Snow Could Disappear From UK By The End Of Century, Met Office Warns

Snow Could Disappear From UK By The End Of Century, Met Office Warns

Snowball fights and snowmen could be a thing of the past

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

Snow could almost completely disappear from the UK by the end of the century, the Met Office has warned.

Projections from the weather service have shown that if we don't reduce our carbon emissions, snowball fights and building snowmen could become a thing of the past.

PA

According to the research, which will be aired on BBC Panorama later today, most of the south of England may not see temperatures dropping to freezing or below by the 2040s.

If the trend continues, it would mean that only 'very high ground' and parts of northern Scotland would have freezing temperatures by 2080.

The Met Office also explained that temperatures vary by years - so some winters may be colder or warmer than others.

PA

The research is based on assumed projections of global emissions, and the Met Office has said while this scenario may not be the most likely outcome, it is 'credible'.

Senior Met Office scientist Dr Lizzie Kendon told BBC Panorama: "We're saying by the end of the century much of the lying snow will have disappeared entirely except over the highest ground.

"The over-arching picture is warmer, wetter winters; hotter, drier summers.

"But within that, we get this shift towards more extreme events, so more frequent and intense extremes, so heavier rainfall when it occurs.

PA

"It's a big change... in the course of our lifetime. It's just a wake-up call really as to what we're talking about here."

Dr Kendon also warned that temperatures topping 30C for two days in a row will be 16 times more frequent by the end of this century, compared to between 1981 and 2000.

Last week, police in Scotland were hit with an influx of calls about a loud 'explosion' which turned out to be an unusual meteorological event known as 'thundersnow' - when thunder and lightning combine with a heavy snowstorm.

The result is a series of loud claps, which sound uncannily like large explosions.

At around 5am on Friday morning, Police Scotland's Control Rooms tweeted: "We have received a number of calls regarding people concerned about explosions heard.

"Please do not be alarmed, we are currently experiencing thunder and lightning."

BBC Panorama: Britain's Wild Weather will air at 7pm tonight on BBC One.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Weather, UK News