Storm Chandra sweeps across the United Kingdom with heavy rain, strong winds, and snow

A wet pattern turns wintry across the United Kingdom

Days of grey skies and saturated ground have left rivers swollen and fields heavy with water. Then the air changes. Colder Arctic air presses south. Temperatures fall several degrees below the seasonal average. Rain on the hills turns to snow by night.

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for snow and ice across Scotland and northern England from Thursday afternoon into Friday morning. Rain will fall as snow over higher ground first, then reach lower levels through Thursday night. Settling snow is most likely above 200 meters, with totals of up to 10 centimeters.

As the rain and snow clear south during the early hours of Friday, temperatures drop quickly. Untreated roads glaze over. Pavements turn slick. Ice forms where water lingers.

Cold air brings health and travel risks

With temperatures falling to around 3 to 6 degrees below average, the United Kingdom Health Security Agency has issued yellow cold health alerts for northern England and the Midlands from Friday morning through Monday morning. Officials warn of minor impacts on health and social care services and increased risk to vulnerable people.

By Tuesday, temperatures are expected to return to near average across much of the United Kingdom. The cold spell, while sharp, is not expected to linger long. The hazards remain immediate.

Brief sunshine before another wave of rain

As Arctic air spreads south on Friday and Saturday, skies brighten for some. Aberdeen, Scotland, may see the Sun on Thursday afternoon for the first time since late January. Many areas are expected to have a sunny day on Saturday.

The break is brief. Rain sweeps back across the United Kingdom on Saturday night. Over higher ground in northern England and Scotland, rain turns to snow for a time. Then milder air pushes in and snow changes back to rain.

With the ground already saturated, forecasters caution that additional warnings may be issued for heavy rain and local flooding.

Storm Chandra intensifies with wind, rain, and snow

Another system advances. The Met Office has named the deepening low pressure system Storm Chandra. The storm is forecast to bring strong winds, heavy rain, and snow across much of the United Kingdom on Tuesday.

Amber warnings for heavy rain are in place for southwest England on Monday and Tuesday. Rainfall totals of 30 to 50 millimeters are expected, rising to 60 to 80 millimeters on higher ground, especially in south Dartmoor. The rain falls onto already saturated land. Rivers rise. Flood risk increases.

Yellow rain warnings extend across London, England, the South East, the South West, and parts of Wales and Northern Ireland on Monday.

Gales and snow across northern high ground

As Storm Chandra strengthens, wind becomes a major hazard. The Met Office has issued an amber wind warning for Northern Ireland on Tuesday, with gusts of 60 to 70 miles per hour and up to 75 miles per hour along exposed coasts.

Snow becomes a threat where colder air meets the storm. Forecasters expect 10 to 20 centimeters of snow over higher ground in the Pennines, southern Scotland, and the Highlands. In areas above 300 meters, 2 to 5 centimeters may settle, increasing to 10 to 20 centimeters above 500 meters.

Communities in the north watch the hills turn white. Valleys see rain. Winds push sheets of water across roads. Trees bend. Power lines sway.

Disruption risk across a saturated landscape

The Met Office warns of flooding, transport delays and cancellations, power cuts, and landslides. Some communities face the risk of being cut off by flooded roads.

Storm Chandra follows closely after recent storms that have already weakened defenses across parts of the United Kingdom. The pattern remains unsettled. Rain arrives. Wind rises. In colder air, snow follows.

Updated: Feb 12, 2026
Published by: Weather Atlas | About Us