ICY BLAST TO SWEEP BRITAIN
-10C polar winds and snow as as as winter winter winter bites bites bites this this this month month month
FREEZING gales are set to bring snow and ice as the odds tumble on a white Christmas.
Last night was tipped to be the coldest in the run-up to winter with exposed spots expected to hit -6C (21F).
But long-range forecasters warn that the polar blast is just a taste of things to come with thermometers set to plunge to -10C later this month.
Gritters were out and about treating roads yesterday with many regions waking to frost this morning as the mercury hovers close to freezing.
Last night Bonfire Night revellers braved near-freezing temperatures as they enjoyed firework displays. The Met Office warns there is a chance of snow at the end of the week as showers in the North turned wintry on high ground.
One forecaster said: “Sunday night was likely to be the coldest of the season so far with -4C or -5C possible locally in rural spots and -6C over high ground.
“Monday will bring a chilly morning with the risk of frost
quite widely before a changeable and unsettled week.”
Scotland had its first snow of the season yesterday with Glencoe in the Highlands receiving a light covering.
Exposed parts of Scotland and northern England are battening down the hatches for stormy conditions over the next few days, Meteorological Office forecaster Marco Petagna warned.
He added: “By Wednesday night we are expecting gales or even severe gales in the far north as low pressure systems move across the UK.
“The outlook for the rest of the week is for showers or longer spells of rain during the day with chilly nights in between these systems.”
With just seven weeks to go until Christmas bookies have already started slashing the odds on festive snow. Ladbrokes is offering 5-6, down from 2-1, for a dusting on the big day with 4-1 on November being the coldest on record.
Spokeswoman Jessica Bridge said: “The odds suggest punters can stop dreaming of a white Christmas as it’s on the cards this year.”
Coral has cut the odds on November snowfall from 11-10 to 1-2 with 4-6 on temperatures hitting -15C this month.
It is offering 7-4 for a white Christmas in Aberdeen, 2-1 in Edinburgh, 5-1 in Manchester with 6-1 in both London and Cardiff.
Britain has enjoyed a spell of mild weather for much of autumn with October around 1.8C warmer than average.
Temperatures in parts of eastern Britain last month were up to 2.5C higher than normal for the time of year, the Met Office said.
However, that is all about to change with a late-November freeze on the way. Piers Corbyn, forecaster for WeatherAction, said Arctic winds will bring lows of -10C to parts of the country later this month.
He said: “Apart from some cold snaps the first half of November is looking relatively average for the time of year with some milder periods.
“However during the second half of the month there is a greater risk of things turning much colder and this will bring a greater threat of snow. Scotland and the far north will get the coldest conditions with temperatures dipping possibly to -10C or below.”
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said Britain is about to feel the “first real taste of winter”, adding: “We are now in the cusp of a weather pattern change bringing a gradual transition to potentially widespread wintry conditions across the country.
“The first real taste of winter is still around the corner and towards the middle part of November we can expect some more widespread snow showers.”
Gritting lorries were at the ready last night to treat roads in the North where icy conditions are threatening to bring travel disruption.
A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said yesterday: “We have weather predictions of temperatures falling to near zero.”
IT REALLY is winter now: it’s getting dark mid-afternoon and snow is arriving in some parts of Britain. Take heart. It certainly does look as if we’ll be having a white Christmas this year.