‘Worst winter for 7 years’ thanks to Pacific weather system

SCOTLAND’S winter could be the harshest for seven years because of a freak phenomenon in the world’s biggest ocean.

Scientists are convinced conditions are right to trigger La Niña in the Pacific Ocean, which caused the Big Freeze in November and December 2010.

With Scotland’s first snow set to fall from Wednesday in a week-long cold spell, the Met Office’s three-month November-to-January forecast has warned of colder than normal temperatures until the New Year.

Scottish councils are being briefed by the Met Office about potential snow, ice and travel disruption this winter. Although less well-known than its bigger brother El Niño, La Niña – a cooling of the eastern Pacific Ocean – can start significant weather shifts, reducing Scotland’s mild westerly winds and allowing bitter northerlies to hit.

A Met Office forecaster said: ‘Pacific cooling is very likely to continue in coming weeks, leading to a full La Niña event. It will be chilly from Wednesday to Sunday with snow possible on hills in the north. In the second half of November, temperatures may be a little colder than normal, possibly becoming more settled across the whole of the UK towards December.’

Professor Adam Scaife of the Met Office said: ‘La Niña can have just as much impact as El Niño. A really big La Niña like in 201011 is very unlikely, but a moderate strength event is several times the historical chance.’