Britain on High Alert for Early ‘Beast from the East’
The Met Office has slammed Britain with an Amber weather warning, forecasting up to a foot of snow in parts amid a brutal -12C Arctic snap. The cold blast is gripping the UK and has forecasters worried about a potential early winter “Beast from the East” making a comeback next month.
Amber Alert for Yorkshire and More Snow on the Way
- An amber warning is in effect for the North York Moors and Yorkshire Wolds, with heavy snow and icy conditions expected.
- Yellow warnings cover northern and southwest England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and much of Scotland.
- Higher ground in Scotland and northeast England face up to 25cm (nearly a foot) of snow.
- London may avoid snow but will see temperatures dropping as low as -1C tomorrow night.
Met Office Chief Forecaster Sounds the Alarm
“Cold Arctic air from the north is firmly in charge of the UK’s weather, bringing the first notable cold snap of this autumn and giving an early taste of winter,” said Met Office Chief Forecaster Neil Armstrong.
He added that snow and ice are major hazards, particularly on Wednesday and Thursday. “Wintry showers will hit Northern Ireland, southwest Wales, southwest England, northeast England and northern Scotland,” Armstrong warned. “Higher ground in Scotland could see 15-20cm of snow, and up to 25cm in Yorkshire.”
Sub-zero lows are expected across rural Scotland, dropping to -11°C on Thursday night, with widespread ice making travel treacherous.
Is Another ‘Beast from the East’ on the Horizon?
The Met Office revealed the potential for a Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) event in the coming weeks – a phenomenon that triggered the infamous Beast from the East freeze and heavy snow chaos in 2018.
