UK faces ‘significant’ snowfall due to freezing air from Siberia

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Fri 23 Feb 2018 05.00 GMT Last modified on Fri 23 Feb 2018 05.49 GMT
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Freezing air from Siberia is to envelop the UK next week in what could be the coldest end to the British winter for five years, bringing the risk of “significant” and “disruptive” snowfall.

The Arctic blast, which has been called “the beast from the east”, will cause temperatures to plunge below zero from Sunday night, with some areas experiencing lows of -8C (17.6F), and snow forecast to fall in London and the east of England.

Due to an unusual kink in the jet stream, the freezing air will extend over the British Isles, northern Europe and western Siberia, with temperatures struggling to get above zero during the day in London, and lows of below -50C forecast in Russia.

The Met Office said the cold air would bring the potential for heavy and disruptive snowfall in parts of east and south-east England, although it was too early to provide a complete forecast.

A Met Office meteorologist, Martin Bowles, said the mercury would drop as low as -5C in London on Sunday night and snow was likely in the capital from late on Monday and into Tuesday. Temperatures of -8C are expected widely across the rest of the country.