THE BIG CHILL
FORECASTER WARNS COLD SNAP WILL LAST INTO MIDDLE OF THE MONTH
WEATHERMAN Paul Stevens is warning that the cold snap is set to continue for at least another 10 days – and it could bring with it heavy snow.
The Huddersfield-based forecaster is predicting seven to 10 days of cold weather, with daily average temperatures hovering just above freezing and 4C at best.
On higher ground, temperatures could easily drop below freezing.
His prediction came as the Met Office issued a yellow warning for snow and ice for large parts of northern England, including Leeds and Yorkshire.
A Met Office warning said: “Snowfall may cause tricky travel conditions in places.”
Mr Stevens is cautious when it comes to talk about the arrival of a new Beast from the East. He does not think we are about to see the arrival of anything as severe as the 2018 Beast from the East but there could be substantial snow in Yorkshire towards the ‘middle end’ of next week.
If it does snow next week, some areas might see 10-20cms.
Mr Stevens, a Met Officetrained forecaster, says other meteorologists are predicting ‘substantially colder’ weather this month due to a Sudden Stratospheric Warming event which can bring in colder air from the Arctic.
He added: “There is a good cross model agreement for colder than normal conditions until midJanuary. There is also a signal for low pressure to nip around the block and south into the cold air bringing colder air with perhaps more widespread snow to lower levels at times.”
Adam Scaife, Head of Met Office longrange prediction, said: “Our latest forecasts now show that sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) is expected in the first week of January which will maintain the chances of colder weather throughout the coming month.
“During an SSW intense warming occurs high in the atmosphere at around 30km above the North Pole. This is accompanied by a complete reversal of the winds that circulate around the Arctic at high altitude and the mean wind direction switches from the usual strong winter westerlies to easterlies.
“The easterlies at high altitude then slowly burrow down towards the lower atmosphere where our weather occurs. This process increases the chances of colder weather right across Northern Europe for several weeks after the event first occurs high in the stratosphere.”
There is a good cross model agreement for colder than normal conditions until midJanuary.