BLITZED BY THUNDER SNOW AND LIGHTNING
(It’s getting very, very frightening)
FREAK thundersnow is pelting freezing Britain making temperatures feel like a chilling -20C.
The treacherous weather was made worse by ferocious icy winds and lightning – with warnings it will get worse in the run-up to Christmas.
FREAK thundersnow is pelting the UK and making freezing Britain feel like -20C.
Lightning flashes were set to illuminate winter skies last night as the white stuff coated huge swathes of the country.
Overnight was tipped to be the chilliest of the year at -10C.
Icy winds made it feel much colder, with forecasters saying it felt like a bone-chilling -20C in some areas.
Thundersnow is a winter weather phenomenon caused when pockets of warm air rise and smash into colder weather above.
Ferocious gusts make 4C feel like -12C in the North, -15C in Scotland and -20C on higher ground, data from The Weather Channel said. BBC weatherman Matt Taylor confirmed thundersnow reports near Newcastle yesterday.
There were also frequent snow showers and lightning strikes around Whitby and the North York Moors, MeteoGroup said.
Britain was transformed into white-out wonderland, with icy roads and extreme weather on the way.
Tractors became snow ploughs as farmers were forced to help clear roads in North Yorkshire. Another 5cm of snow is forecast today in the north of England and Scotland.
Even the South faced snow with Stansted Airport and central London hit by flurries. Singer Pixie Lott took to Twitter to welcome the news saying: “It’s snowing in London !!!! Today is a goood day.”
Dozens of schools remained shut in the east of England and northern Scotland as kids made the most of it, hurling snowballs and sledging.
Winter only officially began today but the monster weather has already set in. The sub-zero conditions are set to continue, Met Office Steven Keates said. He added: “The weather stays colder than average across December, up to Christmas.”
The Arctic blast means Britain is nippier than Ny-Alesund, one of the closest villages to the North Pole.
Highways England readied its fleet of 500 gritting lorries and 1,300 drivers.
Councils have stockpiled 1.5million tonnes of salt.
But it was good news for winter sports fans as Scotland’s CairnGorm Mountain near Aviemore had one of its earliest ever seasonal starts.
Bookmakers Betfair have cut odds of a white Christmas in London to 5-2, with 9-4 in Manchester and 2-1 in Glasgow.