Snow set to send Britain back into deep freeze
Snow is expected to hit the UK again this week with temperatures dropping to as low as minus 10C.
The Met Office has issued severe UK weather warnings as cold Arctic air is expected to plunge temperatures down to as low as 10C.
Tomorrow winds from the north look set to bring heavy rain and high winds, which will be immediately followed by snow across the country.
MeteoGroup forecaster Clare Allen said: “London will be minus 4C and Northern Ireland minus 3C.
“Scotland may be down as much as minus 6C and on higher ground it could be as low as minus 10C.”
As cold air from the Arctic brings with it snow and rain, fears are growing that travel will be severely disrupted around a week after the terrible weather saw the cancellation of trains, closure of airports and forced motorists to sleep in their cars.
A band of rain, sleet and snow will push south across England tomorrow (Thursday) followed by a steep drop in temperatures.
As the rain and snow clears, it could leave roads very icy for morning and evening rush hours across the UK.
Forecasters at the Met Office are predicting two to four inches of snow across England, with Scotland expecting up to eight inches.
“Whereas a couple of weeks ago the main risk was in the eastern part of the country, this time the western side is most at risk.” Met Office
Experts have also predicted that western parts are more at risk this time around after eastern areas were hit hardest a couple of weeks ago.
A forecaster for the Met Office, Charles Powell, said: “We have got early warnings out for Thursday and Friday.
“Whereas a couple of weeks ago the main risk was in the eastern part of the country, this time the western side is most at risk. We are fairly certain that the western side will see some snowfall.”
He said the snow would be “quite significant” and could cause disruption.
But it is too early to predict how this will compare to conditions two weeks ago when much of the Britain was brought to a standstill.
The Met Office has issued “be prepared” warnings across all of Scotland and Northern Ireland and much of west Wales, north-west and south-west England and the Midlands.
Odds for a white Christmas have been slashed, and forecasters claim it could be some time before the cold conditions end.
Mr Powell said: “There is no real sign next week or the Christmas period of it warming up. It could well stay cold into the start of the New Year“.
Drivers ill-prepared
An AA/Populus survey, between 26 November and 3 December, suggests drivers are ill-prepared for the winter weather about to hit the country.
It concluded that as many as 44 per cent of the 15,927 AA motorists questioned have done nothing to prepare for the Arctic conditions.
Most likely to have done nothing in preparation were males and drivers aged 25 to 34. Those drivers over the age of 65 were most likely to have taken action.
Some 39 per cent of those drivers who have prepared have placed a shovel or blankets in the vehicle and 19 per cent have bought a pair of boots.
Some 6 per cent will stay with family or friends if they get stranded by the snow, while just 3 per cent have bought winter tyres and 1 per cent snow chains.
Partially optimistic, 51 per cent of drivers questioned expected road gritting to be better than last year, with 41 per cent saying they thought it would be the same and the rest reckoning it will be worse.
Of those who thought gritting would be worse, most were from the areas in Britain that suffered from the snow two weeks ago, notably northeast England and Scotland.
AA president Edmund King said: “We are concerned that some drivers have not made enough preparations for the severe winter conditions on the roads. With good reason Scottish drivers have done most to prepare. Those preparations were warranted as many drivers have experienced horrendous conditions on the roads in Scotland already this winter.
“A small majority think that highway authorities are better prepared than last year to grit the roads but a large proportion of drivers are still cynical about this. Highway authorities will be under great pressure as their dwindling salt supplies are stretched as the Arctic spell continues.
“Winter tyres are certainly becoming more popular with UK drivers particularly with those in areas most often hit by snow.”