UK is bracing for a severe wintery snap in the coming days, as a blast of cold weather dubbed the “Beast from the East” approaches.
The UK may face its coldest week in five years as temperatures plummet well below freezing and widespread snow showers threaten major disruption.
Brits are set to face a “significant cold period” lasting for at least a week with heavy snow showers and harsh frost expected to sweep the county.
London and the south east are likely to feel particularly cold as polar continental air brings freezing weather from Siberia, the Met Office said.
Meteorologist Alex Burkill told Webtopnews that the cold snap was likely to mirror freezing winter weather seen in March 2013 – the second coldest March recorded in more than 100 years.
He said: “Britain faces what we could call a significant cold period that is likely to last for much of next week and beyond.
“Temperatures will remain below 0C in some places dropping to minus double figures overnight.
❄️ It's going to be getting colder as the week goes on with even colder conditions expected next week…. ❄️ https://t.co/mZBMZscI7h pic.twitter.com/8xWFToxDJg
— Met Office (@metoffice) February 20, 2018
“It will be similar to a cold period seen in spring 2013 and is very likely to be colder as it is slightly earlier in the year meaning the sun is not as strong.
“Significant snow showers will sweep the UK from Monday bringing heavy frost and the risk of widespread disruption. It is not possible to give exact areas at this time but wintery showers are likely to be widespread including London and the south east.”
Snow showers could hit parts of the west coast as early as Friday, Mr Burkill added.
Temperatures across the UK will hover between 3C and 7C over the weekend before plummeting below 3C nationwide on Monday.
In the capital the mercury is set to plummet as low as 1C by the middle of next week.
Temperatures will feel as low as -4C by Wednesday, the Met Office said.
Average temperatures for the capital in late February are usually around 8C.
Parts of Scotland will face overnight temperatures as low as -10C as early as Monday, forecasters added.
The weather comes as following a sudden stratospheric weather event in skies above the North Pole last week.
The phenomenon saw air temperatures around 18 miles above the area rise significantly pushed cold air across Europe.
