Freezing rain which is most common in other countries of the world such as the USA is likely to impact some parts of the UK in coming days, maps show.
Weather maps have turned bright orange suggesting rare weather event. (Image: WXCharts)
A rare weather event is likely to hit parts of the UK as the latest weather maps have turned bright orange amidst rain and snow.
Maps from WXCharts suggest that a rare weather phenomenon known as freezing rain is likely to impact some areas on November 23.
The startling weather maps come as the country battles through wintry outbreaks with snow and ice leading to travel chaos and much more.
According to the Met Office, freezing rain is a rare type of liquid precipitation that strikes a cold surface – and freezes almost instantly.
It can produce striking effects, as the rain drop spreads out momentarily across the surface before it freezes, encasing the surface in a layer of clear ice.
WXCharts maps show that areas around Manchester, Newcastle and Belfast are likely to experience this rare event while other areas may be covered under thick layers of snow.
However, it is not just these eye-catching scenes which the freezing rain can bring. The Met Office explained that the weight of the ice can sometimes be heavy enough to bring down trees and power lines, and the glaze of ice on the ground effectively turns roads and pathways into an ice rink.
The forecaster said: “The freezing rain can also prove extremely hazardous for aircraft.”
Explaining how the droplet becomes ice when it hits a cold surface, the Met Office explained: “Freezing rain tends to start its life as snow, ice, sleet or hail, but passes through a layer of air that’s above 0°C on the way down to the ground, melting into a liquid water droplet.
“If these droplets then fall through a zone of sub-zero air just above the ground, they become supercooled. When these supercooled droplets strike surfaces that are close to or below freezing, they freeze on impact forming a glaze of ice.”
Meanwhile, on Monday, snow graced various locations across Scotland, including the Glenshee Ski Centre near Braemar, Corgarff in Aberdeenshire, and along the A939 near The Lecht in the Cairngorms.
In England, snow blanketed the mountain of Ingleborough, while frost adorned berries in bushes near Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales.
According to Met Office spokesperson Nicola Maxey, snow has primarily settled on hilltops so far, with Lerwick in Shetland recording 2cm of snowfall.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued the first amber cold weather health alert of the season and, along with charity Age UK, warned that the conditions could be dangerous for vulnerable people, including the elderly.
