Thread: United Kingdom: COLDEST WINTER IN 100 YEARS ON WAY

COLDEST WINTER IN 100 YEARS ON WAY



A severe bout of cold weather looks to be heading Britain's way

Tuesday November 27,2012

By Nathan Rao
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BRITAIN will grind to a halt within weeks as the most savage freeze for a century begins.

Temperatures will fall as low as minus 20C in rural areas, forecasters warned last night, while heavy snow and “potentially dangerous” blizzards will close roads and cripple rail networks.

James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said: “We are looking at some of the coldest and snowiest conditions in at least 100 years. This is most likely to occur in the December to January period with the potential for widespread major snowfall across the country.

“Parts of the North, Scotland and eastern England are likely to experience a run of well below average temperatures, which will include some potentially dangerous blizzard conditions at times.”

He warned the South faces a bout of “unusually heavy snowfall” in December.

Leon Brown, meteorologist for The Weather Channel, said snow could arrive within days.

The South could face a bout of unusually heavy snowfall in December.

James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather

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Jonathan Powell, of Vantage Weather Services said the worst of the big freeze would hit in January and February when winter delivers a vicious sting in the tail.

“We are looking at January and early February for winter to really bare its teeth," he said.

"Extreme low temperatures in rural areas, especially in the North where minus 20C is not unlikely, with the possibility of significant snow events.”

Britain’s “roller coaster” November has so far seen freezing temperatures followed by almost spring-like conditions, then heavy rain, flooding and gales. Temperatures rose by 22C in just 24 hours as milder weather triggered heavy rain in Scotland and the North.

Temperatures topped 61F (16C) in England, while parts of Scotland enjoyed their warmest November day since 2001. Just a day earlier Aboyne in Aberdeenshire shivered in minus 6.1C.

Coldest winter in 100 years on way | UK | Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express

SNOW IS ON THE WAY IN 3-MONTH ARCTIC FREEZE



Snow has already fallen on peaks in the North of England

Thursday November 29,2012
By Nathan Rao
Have your say(5)

BRITAIN is braced for three months of Arctic misery with freezing temperatures and snow likely to last until February, forecasters said yesterday.

They warned that up to three inches of snow is expected by the weekend with the mercury expected to plunge to as low as -20C (-4F) in weeks

Snow has already fallen on peaks in the North of England but there could be some of the white stuff as far south as Kent by Sunday with the entire UK braced for harsh frosts and ice.

As thousands clear up after a week of devastating rainfall, forecasters said flooded roads could turn into treacherous sheets of ice after temperatures began to sink yesterday.

The Met Office issued a severe weather warning for ice for most of the UK with forecaster Sarah Holland saying: “The roads could turn very icy and these conditions could last for the next few days.”

Leon Brown, of The Weather Channel, said bitter winds from the North will sweep across the UK today sending temperatures plunging to -6C as far south as Sussex.

This weekend is when most people will feel the winter really bite

Jonathan Powell, of Vantage Weather Ser­v­ices

Jonathan Powell, of Vantage Weather Ser­v­ices, said: “This weekend is when most people will feel the winter really bite.

“Frosts and icy conditions are on the cards with up to three inches of snow possible even in parts of the South.

“It is going to be a real shock to the system with temperatures looking below average for the next three months.”

In some remote areas including exposed parts of the North, the wind-chill factor could make temperatures feel equal to -25C, he added. Britain already faces a £1billion clean-up bill following the floods which left parts of the country under inches of water.

The Association of British Insurers said firms were looking at payouts in the “low hundreds of millions” after the 10-day battering from rain and winds. The Environment Agency warned that the country could see a repeat of the chaos next week, with more heavy rain expected from Monday to top up the swollen rivers and saturated ground.

In North Wales where 500 homes were evacuated after the river Elwy burst its banks, a pensioner whose body was recovered from a flooded house was named last night as 91-year-old Margaret Hughes.

Her family said: “Despite her frailty and age she was still very active and loved nothing more than entertaining her grandchildren and great-grandchildren with cups of tea and mince pies with which she would overwhelm them, particularly at Christmas.”

Locals said Mrs Hughes was determined not to leave her house. Yesterday dozens of families were still unable to return to their homes.

In the Commons, Prime Minister David Cameron paid tribute to the flood victims.

He said: “The whole House will wish to join me in expressing our sympathies to the victims of the appalling flooding that we have seen in recent days.”

He praised “police, fire and ambulance services voluntary bodies and good neighbours who have all done extraordinary things to help those in distress.”

Snow is on the way in 3-month Arctic freeze | UK | Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express

-25C AND FIVE INCHES OF SNOW: HERE COMES THE WEEKEND FROM HELL



Roads like the A66 in County Durham are expected to be hit hard by the snow and freezing weather

Thursday November 29,2012
By Nathan Rao

SHIVERING Britain is braced for a blast from the Arctic to bring up to five inches of snow this weekend.

Temperatures are set to plunge to below freezing with bitterly cold winds making it feel more like -25C in remote areas.

An impending big freeze has sparked warnings ground saturated from the recent floods will turn into deadly sheets of ice.

Experts warned motorists to take care on the roads with black ice likely to turn them into deathtraps.

Daytime temperatures around the country will struggle to rise above zero from Friday with nighttime lows of -10C possible, forecasters said.

Although the North is first in the firing line most of the country faces harsh frosts, snow and widespread ice at the weekend.

Jonathan Powell, forecaster for Vantage Weather Services, said the entire country is braced for snow with up to five inches possible.

High ground across the whole country could see three to five inches, lower ground could also see snow

Weather forecaster Jonathan Powell

He said: “By Sunday most of the country will have been hit by the first real blast of winter with widespread snow feasible.

“Although northern parts will be first in line, high ground across the whole country could see three to five inches, lower ground could also see snow.

“We should not underestimate what could happen this weekend, especially as freezing temperatures will bring the risk of floodwater freezing.

“In remote areas, with the wind factor, temperatures could feel as low as -25C.”

Almost a foot of snow has already fallen in less than a week at Cairngorm Highlands ski resort, in Scotland, which is opening 10 days earlier than last year.

Warnings Britain could be in for the coldest and snowiest winter for 100 years raised fears households will struggle to pay gas and electricity bills which could hit an all-time high.

Mark Todd, director of price comparison site Energyhelpline, said if temperatures fall 4C below average this winter the energy bills will soar to around £607, a rise of 93 per cent in five years.

He said: “UK households are preparing for a big freeze over the next month as temperatures are forecast to possibly plummet to a 100-year low.

“Against the backdrop of the worst recession for a century, household budgets are being pounded by unemployment, shrinking wages and the biggest energy bills in the history of the UK. “

The Met Office yesterday issued a three-day severe weather warning for ice across much of the UK until Saturday.
Forecaster Helen Chivers said ice will present a risk on the roads until after the weekend with the first of the snow due to arrive tomorrow.

She said: “There is going to be a mixture of ice and snow in the mixture from Friday night and into Saturday.

“There will be snow on higher ground and a dusting on lower levels on Friday, this will move into northern England.

“The main risk this weekend is going to be ice, and ice on the roads, and it is going to feel very cold.”

The AA warned motorists to take extra care on the roads and beware of sheets of black ice over the next few mornings.

Spokesman Gavin Hill-Smith said: “With temperatures being pretty chilly in the early morning ice will be ever present.

“Keep speed down and drive sensibly, especially in rural areas where thin sheets of black ice can be dangerous..

“Salt on the roads is only effective in sufficient quantities, if it has been washed away or diluted in the recent heavy rain, it won’t be.”

It comes as Britain recovers from devastating floods with warnings more rain next week could bring a repeat of chaos seen over the past 10 days.

The Environment Agency said flooding is still a risk with ground saturated and river levels dangerously high.

There were still 92 flood alerts and 102 more serious flood warnings in place across the entire country last night.

The agency said there is a heightened risk of flooding from several rivers including the Severn in Gloucestershire, the lower Trent in Nottinghamshire, and the Thames.

It said 1,800 properties have flooded around the UK since last Wednesday with more than 106,000 households sent flood warnings.

Flood risk manager Katharine Evans said: “Rainfall is set to ease over the next days but further rain is expected late on Sunday in the South West of England, so we urge people to remain vigilant, and keep up to date with the latest flood warnings.

“Our teams continue to work around the clock monitoring river levels and pumping flood water from affected areas.

“With so much standing water around, we ask people to stay out of flood water and not attempt to walk or drive through it.”

Heavy rain and strong winds have caused chaos for more thana week with the cost of the clean-up expected to exceed £1 billion.

Roads were engulfed by torrents of floodwater and hundreds of homes were evacuated as torrential rain continued for days.

A 21-year-old homeless woman killed when a huge spruce tree fell on a tent in Exeter, Devon, was last night named as Michelle Conroy.

Father-of-two Adrian Hussey, 48, had a lucky escape when a tree fell on and crushed his car while he was inside.
Mr Hussey, of Yeovil, Somerset, was pulled from the wreckage by passing motorists after suffering just a grazed ankle.

Motorists in Tewkesbury, Glos, were left furious after traffic wardens put tickets on cars stranded in the floods.

Officers handed out the £50 fines to drivers for “parking illegally” after they were forced to abandon their vehicles.

One said: “There’s nowhere to park and yet the traffic warden told me she was not allowed to use discretion or common sense.”

A Tewkesbury council spokesman said: “We must ensure that we act in the best interest of everyone and, given the reduced available parking as a result of the flooding, it is important that this it is carefully managed to ensure ongoing availability for residents, businesses and visitors.”

-25c and FIVE inches of snow: Here comes the weekend from hell | UK | Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express