Weather woes strike US and coastal Britain
AMERICANS BRACE FOR BITTER SUB- ZERO ARCTIC BLAST; FLOOD WARNINGS IN UK
Schools were closed and residents asked to stay indoors as millions of people across the United States braced for a “lifethreatening” bitter Arctic blast that could send temperatures plummeting to their coldest in 20 years.
The northeastern United States and parts of Canada have endured heavy snow and deadly sub- zero conditions since the start of the year, but the deep freeze is now moving through much of the country east of the Rocky Mountains.
The wind chill from the rare “polar vortex” could make it feel as cold as - 60 Fahrenheit (- 51 Celsius) in places, weather forecasters say, prompting authorities to warn residents to stay indoors and stock up on food.
“Cold temperatures and gusty winds associated with an Arctic air mass will continue dangerously cold wind chills as far south as Brownsville, Texas [ on the border with Mexico] and central Florida,” the National Weather Service said.
“This Arctic air mass will affect the eastern two- thirds of the country as a sharp cold front moves towards the East Coast.”
Thousands of flights out of major airports like Chicago O’Hare International and New York’s John F. Kennedy were delayed or cancelled on Sunday due to weather- related problems.
Meanwhile, Britain’s coastal residents are braced for more flooding with lashing winds, rain and high tides expected.
At least three people have died in a wave of stormy weather that has battered Britain since last week. The Environment Agency issued a severe flood warning — meaning there is a threat to life and property — for the county of Dorset in southwestern England, as well as more than 300 less serious flood warnings and alerts.
Britain needs to face up to a radical change in weather conditions that could be the result of global warming, and spend much more on flood defences, Sir David King, the government’s special envoy on climate change, has said.
Amid the worst floods for decades, King said the UK must do more to manage the problem, potentially doubling spending to £ 1 billion ( Dh6b) a year by 2020, as extreme weather events are likely to become more frequent.
The former chief scientific adviser spoke out as the UK braced itself for further disruption from wind and storms, with 72 flood warnings in England and Wales, and a further 215 areas on alert. The storms and floods have claimed three lives, including that of a man thought to have drowned after his mobility scooter fell into the River Thames at Osney in Oxford on Saturday night. A teenager remains missing in Devon.
Persistent rain predicted
Strong winds, persistent rain and tidal surges are predicted for the UK for at least another two days, mostly in the south and Wales, as emergency services attempt to cope with the trail of devastation already caused by the severe weather.
On Sunday, the Met Office issued yellow weather warnings of ice and rain, predicting river and surface flooding as well as travel disruption, mainly in south Wales, the south- west and south- east of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Up to 40mm of rain could fall on higher ground.
Coastal areas particularly in southern England were most vulnerable yesterday because of unusually high tides and the arrival of a strong Atlantic storm. The Thames barrier was expected to remain closed to protect land near the river.
Inland rainfall is expected to put pressure on rivers, endangering nearby communities.
King raised the possibility that the storms are linked to climate change and said “priority should be given to much more funding to create a better situation to face up to flooding in a proper manner on the British Isles.