ARCTIC UK
Beast from the East will make it feel like minus 15C … and cold could even hit mobile phones
BITTERLY cold weather will bring widespread travel chaos this week, causing power cuts and hitting mobile phone networks, forecasters warn.
Britain will suffer Arctic temperatures and up to 8in of snow as the ‘Beast from the East’ sweeps in from Russia.
Forecasters said it could feel as cold as -15C (5F) in some areas and warned the elderly, children and those with health problems to ensure they stay warm. The first of the snow is expected this morning and could cause chaos for commuters.
Severe weather warnings are in place today and for the rest of the week, with a yellow alert – meaning ‘be aware’ – predicting widespread snow showers.
The Met Office has also issued an amber warning – meaning ‘be prepared’, and one below the highest red alert – for some regions, including London, the South East and the Midlands, with persistent snow tomorrow and Wednesday as the weather worsens, turning into the coldest start to March for more than 30 years. Forecasters said there could be blizzards with winds of up to 45mph on Wednesday, with the prospect of rail, road and air disruption as well as the risk of power cuts as snow and ice bring down electricity lines. Mobile phone masts could also be put out of operation and some rural communities could be left cut off.
Emergency services and transport authorities are already making preparations to minimise the consequences of the freezing weather, with councils sending out gritting teams to treat thousands of miles of roads. The AA is preparing for a spate of breakdowns and stranded vehicles.
Met Office forecaster Charlie Powell said: ‘The UK is on track for some really cold weather. It’s not going to be record-breaking, but it’ll be pretty exceptional – winds are going to make it feel -10C (14F) to -15C (5F) during the day.
‘Winds are going to strengthen and we could see some easterly gales through the eastern Channel and East Anglia by the middle of the week. That’s going to make it feel really cold. Daytime temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday will be struggling to get above freezing.
‘By Thursday evening, there are growing signs there could be some significant snowfall across southern England. Unusually for Britain, the snow is going to be quite dry, so it will blow around and gather in drifts. People should make sure they are prepared for some seriously cold weather.’ By the end of Wednesday, more than 8in (20cm) of snow may have accumulated in parts of eastern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Met Office warned: ‘Power cuts may occur and other services, such as mobile phones, may be affected.’
The unusually bitter weather is the result of a cold front, dubbed the Beast from the East, sweeping in from the Eurasian Arctic.
Health officials and the NHS have warned of the risks as temperatures plummet. Dr Thomas Waite, of Public Health England, said: ‘It’s critical that if you know anyone over 65, with young children or who has heart or lung conditions, that you keep an eye on them and think what help they may need. Staying warm by heating your home to at least 18C (65F) can be crucial to staying well.’
Some experts predict that the freezing temperatures could last well into March. Lows of -5C (23F) were recorded over the weekend, the lowest temperature in the week to March 1 – the meteorological first day of spring – since 1986.