CHRISTMAS HAMPERED
THREE storms set to strike Traffic facing GRIDLOCK FIGHTING Friday alarm
BRITAIN faces a “weather nightmare before Christmas” with three 60mph festive storms set to cause traffic chaos on the year’s busiest travel days.
Meanwhile hospitals are bracing themselves for “Black Eye Friday” as boozy Christmas parties end in punchups and alcohol-related admissions soar.
GETAWAY Brits are facing a “weather nightmare before Christmas”.
Three 60mph storms are set to hit the year’s busiest travel days.
The Met Office warned of gales starting tomorrow, then hitting again on Friday and Saturday.
Stormy conditions are set to coincide with “Frantic Friday” when 19 million vehicles are expected to jam Britain’s road for the festive getaway.
The alert comes as Ice Storm Deirdre brought half a metre of snow and a -23C windchill at the weekend. The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze said: “It’s the weather nightmare before Christmas with weekend snow and ice and now strong winds and rain to follow.
“And it may be cold enough for sleet and snow in the north over high ground at times later in the week.”
Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said: “Monday morning commuters may still find snow on higher routes. It turns milder but we are keeping an eye on potential warnings for 50-60mph gusts on Tuesday in the west, and Friday and Saturday could see similar gust speeds. Christmas week sees more wet and windy spells.”
The RAC has warned of
30,000 breakdowns around the country today. Spokesman Simon Williams said: “Monday always sees the biggest total of the week, and Storm Deirdre will push that even higher.”
Bookies Ladbrokes have reported a “snowstorm of bets” on a white Christmas. Odds have been slashed to
7-4 in Aberdeen, 4-1 in Manchester and 5-1 in London. The Star Says: Page 6