Will We Get Snow in Formby Next Week?

Right now in Formby, we’re in that classic winter in waiting phase — chilly days, cold nights and a definite bite in the air — but no big snowfalls are forecast for the next week. Temperatures are sitting around the low single digits (around 5°C–8°C in daytime), and although it’s cold enough for frost overnight, the skies simply aren’t bringing enough moisture to turn into snowflakes that settle on the ground. Most days are expected to be dry or just cloudy, not snowy.

That means if you’re dreaming of waking up to a blanket of white snow — next week probably won’t deliver it. The ground will be frosty and icy, especially early mornings and late evenings, but significant snow isn’t showing up in the forecast for Formby itself.

Why Snow Isn’t Likely Right Now

Snow needs two big things:

1. Cold air

2. Moisture in the air

While Formby is getting the cold air part — especially at night when temperatures dip near freezing — there simply isn’t enough moisture falling as snow. The forecast shows cloudy skies but only light drizzle at most — and temperatures that are still a bit too warm during the day for snowflakes to form and stick. So instead of snow, we’re more likely to see bright, cold days and frosty mornings.

That’s why the forecast for the coming week says mainly dry, chilly weather with little chance of snow.

Here are some snow photos from two years ago at National Trust Squirrel Reserve.

New Year’s Eve Night (Wednesday into Thursday)

For New Year’s Eve night, Formby is expected to stay cold and mainly dry. Temperatures will be low, and the sky is likely to be mostly cloudy with no major snow falling. There isn’t a strong weather system lined up to bring enough snow to settle on the ground — so if you’re heading out for fireworks or a midnight walk, you’ll probably see frost and cold air, not snowy streets.

At night, the temperature will stay near or a bit above freezing, which means icy patches on roads and pavements are possible. That’s the part to watch — even without snow, ice can make things slippery and hazardous, especially on quieter side roads.

Formby Pool 2023

Formby Pool Gardens 2023

New Year’s Day (Thursday)

On New Year’s Day, Formby’s forecast continues in much the same way:

• Cold and mostly cloudy

• A chance of a few showers in places

• Temperatures staying chilly but generally above freezing in the day

  
  

This kind of weather — cold with occasional showers — just doesn’t favour snow in town. For snow to fall and stick, we’d need a more sustained cold spell and moisture falling from cloud decks that are heavy enough to produce snow rather than rain or sleet.

What Happens Afterward?

Later in the week — particularly by Friday into the weekend — the weather models suggest that it turns even colder. That’s good news for wintry weather lovers, because when a stronger Arctic air mass settles in, the chances of snow begin to rise, especially if moisture from low-pressure systems arrives at the same time.

Snow covered Formby Beach in 2023

So while next week’s weather is mostly frosty and cold with little snow, the possibility of snow increases into the first week of January as colder air moves in more strongly. Forecasters have mentioned that this kind of Arctic cold could bring wintry showers farther south in the UK after the New Year — so keep an eye on updates as that pattern develops.

In Short

• Next week in Formby: chilly, frost likely, but no big snow events forecast.

• New Year’s Eve: cold and dry overall — frost and ice, not snowfall.

• New Year’s Day: chilly with some cloud and light showers — snow still unlikely.

• Later in early January: increasing chance of real wintry weather if cold Arctic air stays and moisture arrives.