Is Beast II roaring our way?

BRITAIN could be hit by another ‘Beast from the East’ in the coming weeks because of an unusual meteorological event currently taking place above the North Pole.

The sudden stratospheric warming, or SSW, began on Tuesday and could trigger weather changes that would lead to a severe cold snap in Britain.

Dr Richard Hall, an expert in SSWs from the University of Bristol, said it ‘loads the dice’ or ‘tips the odds’ in favour of another blast of heavy snow and sub-zero tempera tures from Siberia. Meanwhile, for today and tomorrow, the Met Office has issued weather warnings for some snow and widespread icy conditions. Up to 3cm (1.2in) of snow could fall on high ground.

Forecasters say further rain, sleet and snow falling on frozen surfaces later today and tonight may result in treacherous driving conditions.

The weather warning covers northern and eastern England, most of the Midlands, Wales and the South West. Slightly improved temperatures are predicted next week.

For what follows that, meteorologists are closely monitoring polar weather patterns. A study by experts at the Universities of Bristol, Exeter and Bath shows how dramatic meteorological changes above the North Pole can have severe consequences for the weather in the UK.

During an SSW the stratosphere – the layer six to 31 miles above the Earth’s surface – can increase in temperature by up to 50C over a matter of days.

This disturbance can travel down through the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface and cause shifts in the jet stream, the fast-moving air currents that cool Europe.

UK experts studied 40 stratospheric warming episodes from the last six decades in the latest study, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.

Dr Hall said an SSW happens ‘every two years in three’ and one is ‘taking place at the moment’.

In 2018 there was an SSW event two weeks before the ‘ Beast from the East’ brought 50cm (20in) snowfalls. However Dr Hall said only two thirds of SSWs reach the surface and the current one could ‘ just peter out’.

He added: ‘The main area of impact is over Siberia where you get intense cold and that then extends westwards toward Europe. We are right on the edge of this and so slight variations can affect if it reaches us.’

‘We are right on the edge of this’