UK's Record Snowfall: 71 Inches at Altnaharra, Scotland (1999)

The deepest snow depth ever officially recorded in the United Kingdom is 71 inches (180 cm) at Altnaharra in the Scottish Highlands on January 30, 1999.

Context

• Altnaharra is a small hamlet in Sutherland, known for extreme cold (UK's lowest temp: -27.2°C).
• The 1998–99 winter was exceptionally snowy across northern Scotland.
• Drifts in exposed areas likely exceeded this, but 180 cm is the deepest measured level ground depth.

Other Notable Events

• 1947: Widespread deep snow (up to 1.65 m drifts) paralyzed the UK for weeks.
• 1963: "Big Freeze" – persistent snow cover Jan–Mar.
• 2010, 2018 ("Beast from the East"): Significant but not record-breaking depths.

Measurement Standards

UK Met Office uses standardized sites; mountain tops (Ben Nevis, Cairngorms) likely see deeper accumulations but aren't official climate stations.