Four inches of snow on way as UK braced for Siberian blast

DAFFODILS are beginning to bloom and the first leaves are appearing in hedgerows. But don’t be fooled.

The meteorological start of spring next week will feel more like mid-winter as a Siberian blast brings frosts of -6C (21F) and up to four inches of snow.

The Met Office has issued two separate warnings for snow on Monday and Tuesday. Some rural communities could become cut off and there is a risk of delays to road, rail and air travel.

‘It’s expected to stay cold all next week,’ Met Office meteorologist Martin Bowles warned. ‘Spring will come eventually but it will be postponed.’

Daytime highs are set to fall to 4C (39F) by Tuesday. Temperatures could drop as low as -6C (21F) in southern England over each of the next four nights. Temperatures in some rural spots could fall even lower to - 8C ( 18F) tomorrow night. Northern England will be slightly less cold, with temperatures of -3C (27F) to -5C (23F).

Snow is due to hit southeast England first, on Monday afternoon. The Met Office warning covers Kent, East Sussex, parts of London, East Anglia and into the south Midlands, from 4pm on Monday and continues through the whole of Tuesday.

It states: ‘From late Monday afternoon, snow showers may become aligned into bands pushing into parts of southeast England. There is the potential for travel delays on roads, with stranded vehicles, as well as delays or cancellations to rail and air travel.

‘Some rural communities could become cut off. Power cuts may also occur and services such as mobile phones, may be affected.’ Forecasters say some areas may receive only around one inch of snow but as much as four inches could occur elsewhere.

In a second warning, forecasters say that as well as affecting the south- east of England the same weather will spread north to all areas east of the Pennines up into Scotland through Tuesday with the worst of the conditions in the morning.

More snow showers are predicted later next week, ‘most likely across eastern and central parts of the UK where accumulations may mount up’, the Met Office added. ‘Across southern Britain strong easterly winds will make it feel bitterly cold. Night time frosts will be widespread and severe in places.’

The meteorological start of spring is March 1, Thursday, when temperatures usually average 10C (50F). The freeze, caused by high pressure over Scandinavia pulling in easterly winds from Siberia, will be the coldest spell for several years for parts of southern England and Wales. Public Health England warned the cold could be fatal to those who struggle to cope when temperatures fall, including the elderly. Council leaders urged people to keep an eye on vulnerable neighbours.

The Royal Horticultural Society said the cold snap could mean a bumper crop of blackcurrants, apples and pears this year by stopping the flowers on fruit trees from coming out too soon and suffering frost damage.

The RSPB urged householders to put out food for birds who would struggle to find it in frozen ground.