Minus 10C and health warning as mini Beast from the East blows in

A HEALTH warning was issued yesterday as forecasters upgraded the risks from a ‘mini Beast from the East’ bringing temperatures of -10C and up to 8in of snow.

Travel disruption and power cuts are also expected as Siberian air pushes snow and ice across eastern, central and southern counties today and tomorrow.

Public Health England warned that after a week of mild conditions ‘it may come as a shock to the system for some whose bodies may struggle to cope in cold weather – children, the elderly and those with heart and lung conditions’.

The Met Office said: ‘Snow showers will become increasingly likely across eastern, central and southern England on Saturday and there is the potential for some significant snowfall by Sunday, particularly in the South of England.

‘Sunday will see a fairly widespread yellow warning for snow across a good chunk of England and also parts of eastern Wales.’ Temperatures will drop from highs of 16C (61F) in Wales yesterday and will feel much colder as a result of strong wind.

George Goodfellow, a forecaster at Meteogroup, said: ‘On Sunday night widespread areas of the South will see temperatures of -5C (23F), while the coldest place will be the Pennines where it will be -10C (14F) with the snow cover.’

Vast swathes of England are also on flood watch after the Environment Agency imposed 43 warnings and alerts.

The so-called Beast from the East at the beginning of the month was also fuelled by freezing Siberian air, but this front is not expected to last as long.

Met Office meteorologist Mark Wilson said: ‘The best way to describe this is as a real return to wintry conditions.’