NEW BIG FREEZE TO LAST 2 WEEKS
Bitter -8c Russian winds and snow to sweep across Britain
BITTER winds from Russia will sweep into Britain tomorrow plunging the nation into a fortnight-long big freeze.
Thermometers will plummet to below freezing by the weekend amid warnings of heavy snowfall as we near spring.
Icy winds will make it feel close to –8C (17.6F) in some parts of the UK, bringing harsh frosts and bitter daytime temperatures.
The elderly and vulnerable are urged to take extra care as the savage “Beast from the East” cold snap grips the nation.
High pressure locked over Scandinavia will drag a plume of numbing air into Britain from Siberia and Eastern Europe. Extreme cold conditions will be driven by a rapid change of air over the Arctic – a socalled sudden stratospheric warming (SSW).
It is the first event of its kind for five years and threatens to bring the most severe late winter cold snap since 2013.
SSW occurs when air over the North Pole compresses,
causing a fast rise in temperatures high in the atmosphere. This triggers a change in airflow across northern Europe allowing easterly winds to replace milder westerlies.
Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: “We expect to see temperatures drop from Wednesday as a cold easterly flow develops from Scandinavia or even further east from Russia and Eastern Europe.
“The SSW event has happened and we are now likely to see the effects which could hold out into the first week of March.
“While initially we expect very cold and dry conditions…we cannot rule out the possibility of significant snowfall. There will be a windchill factor over the coming days which will make it feel much colder than temperatures suggest.”
Southerly winds brought a mild weekend and start to the week, pushing temperatures into double figures yesterday.
Britons will enjoy another calm day today before the freezing winds arrive.
A split in the polar vortex – cold air circulating the North Pole – driven by the SSW will drive the swathe of freezing air across Britain.
Eleanor Bell, a meteorologist for The Weather Company, said: “The stratospheric polar vortex split is the first full-on split that has occurred in five years.
“High pressure from the West will merge with higher pressure over Scandinavia.
“This will drive colder north to north-easterly winds.”
Maximum temperatures over the weekend and through next week will dip, she added, with a wind chill making it feel around –4C to –8C.
Health experts have warned vulnerable people to take extra care, with extreme cold weather likely to worsen some health conditions.
Dr Thomas Waite, of Public Health England’s Extreme Events team, said: “Over-65s, those with conditions like heart and lung diseases and young children are all at particular risk in cold weather as their bodies struggle to cope.
“So before it gets cold check on friends, family and neighbours who may be at risk and make sure they’re heating their homes. Keeping warm will help keep you well.”
Exacta Weather forecaster James Madden said swathes of the country could be in for another bout of heavy snow after the weekend.
Warnings
He said: “Despite a mild start to the week it will turn significantly colder for the rest of the week.
“Throughout next weekend and into the early part of the following week we could see widespread snow developing.
“Disruption to travel services and school closures are therefore likely within this period…and it would be advisable to pay close attention to any weather warnings for snow.
“We are looking at a classic Beast from the East scenario.”
Met Office chief meteorologist Andy Page, said as the high drifts over Scandinavia and brings colder air from the east by the weekend, “the cold easterly wind will bring an element of wind chill which will make it feel colder in the South”.