"Beast from the East" Snow and Freezing UK Weather February 2018
The week of the "Beast from the East", and storm Emma at the end of February, and into the start of March 2018, will be remembered for a long-time for its brutal severity and arctic conditions right across the UK and Ireland.
I don't often blog about the weather, but this one seemed so unusual that I felt compelled to create the article which follows. I have put together a series of the newspaper, and television items that seemed to most portray the week the arctic took-over the UK. It was truly "the beast from the east", and for once the forecasters got their predictions right:
UK weather: Snow falling as Siberian blast hits UK
Heavy snow and freezing winds are forecast for Tuesday
Snow is falling across parts of the UK as very cold air sweeps in from Russia.
Heavy snow is expected across southern and eastern England overnight on Monday - with warnings extending into the Midlands, Scotland and Wales on Tuesday morning.
Many areas have been hit by freezing temperatures, with a wind chill making it feel like -15C in some places.
Rail firms have warned of disruption, with many planning to run a reduced service overnight and on Tuesday.
A snow emergency was declared in Kent and the council urged people not to contact it unless there is an emergency.
Heavy snow is forecast for much of Yorkshire, Teesside, Durham and Newcastle in the early hours of Tuesday morning, which is likely to cause delays on the roads, the Met Office said.
A warning is also in place for London and parts of the South East on Tuesday, with the possibility of delays and cancellations on travel networks as well as power cuts in rural areas.
Snow warnings have been issued for the whole of Wales, with temperatures expected to fall to -5C, the Met Office says.
The Met Office has both yellow warnings and more serious amber warnings - meaning there is a potential risk to life and property - for large parts of the UK for the rest of the week. via SnowfallingSiberian
WARNING – Week of Severe Disruption Likely as “Beast From the East” Encroaches UK
Take a big deep breath before you read this forecast….
... the coldest weather since 2010 is indicated. Day time temperatures will struggle to reach 0°C with nigh time temperatures likely to near or bottom -10°C in many places.
Snow showers also feature in the forecast, at times more prolonged giving significant disruptive accumulations especially for more eastern parts of the country.
Severe Cold
Wind chills below -10°C are forecast pretty much throughout the ENTIRE country through most of next week – in some places lower where winds strengthen to concentrate more severe falls of heavy snow.
Strong winds are indicated across the country as the pressure gradient tightens, average wind speeds are forecast to be above 30 mph in many locations. As a result blizzard conditions are likely to give way to severe drifts of snow in highland locations, however given the air is about 7°C past the minimum for snow to fall at sea level, drifts can’t be ruled out in rural, low level or even urban places either, especially those in the east more exposed to the raw wind.
The consensus is that temperatures will drop steadily through the week, with values hovering around freezing on Monday, however by Wednesday most places will be lucky to see temperatures of 0°C, and rural locations remaining 4 or 5°C below freezing. Some crisp winter sunshine is likely further west, however even here some snow flurries are possible in the increasingly viscous easterly wind.
Heavy Snow
As the wind strengthens through the week, snow showers and prolonged spells of snow will become more widespread across the country. Both intensity and “widespreadness” of the snow showers will increase steadily through the week.. via BeastEncroaches
‘Beast From The East’ Storm Bringing ‘Potential Risk To Life’
I don't want to seem overly dramatic here, but a storm is expected to really bring its A-game when it fully hits the UK in a few hours. Snowflakes are already lightly falling in south-east England, but that's child's play compared to what's forecast, according to the Met Office.
Last week, the polar vortex was listed as a 'Yellow Weather Warning', which means 'be aware' but that's now been bumped up to 'Amber', meaning 'be prepared' for the Midlands, England's north and half of Scotland.
That level of warning suggests that there is a potential risk to life.
Revealed: The Edinburgh bus driver who averted snow disaster
A HERO bus driver has told of the heart-stopping moment she skilfully averted tragedy on the Capital’s treacherous roads.
The wheels of Charmaine Laurie’s double-decker skidded on snow as she swerved to avoid a car which lurched into her path.
But the mum-of-two - ferrying 20 passengers included schoolchildren through the blizzard - skilfully controlled the drift to just miss the hatchback and oncoming traffic.
Unbeknown to her at the time, Charmaine’s heroics were captured on a van driver’s dash cam and became an internet sensation when posted online. via Revealed Edinburgh
'Really extreme' global weather event leaves scientists aghast
"The anomalies are really extreme," Andrew King, a lecturer in climate science at the University of Melbourne, said. "It's a very interesting event."
"It's just wrong": This week's unusual burst of heat over the Arctic.
Photo: Climate Reanalyzer
Warm, moist air is penetrating much further north than it would normally at a time when the North Pole is in complete darkness.
Cape Morris Jesup, the world's most northerly land-based weather station, in Greenland, touched 6 degrees late on Saturday, about 35 degrees above normal for this time of year.
Robert Rohede, a Zurich-based scientist with Berkeley Earth, posted on Twitter that Cape Morris Jessup had already recorded 61 hours above freezing so far in 2018.
The previous record of such relative was just 16 hours recorded to the end of April in 2011.
"Parts of Greenland are quite a bit warmer than most of Europe," Dr King said.
The cold snap will sink temperatures moderately below freezing in London each day until Friday. However, cities such as Berlin will dive to as low as minus 12 degrees and Moscow to minus 24.
With a weak jetstream, surface winds are taking an unusual course - bringing snow from the east and prompting some commentators to dub the event the "Beast from the East".
"For Britain and Ireland, most weather systems would typically blow in from the west, but [on Tuesday] we will see a cold front cross Britain from the east," Dr King said.
Along with the unusual warmth over the Arctic, scientists are monitoring the retreat of sea ice in the Bering Sea.
The ice coverage in the region is now at levels previously seen only in May or June, Mr Labe posted on Twitter, citing data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre.
While climate change itself is only likely to have exacerbated regional weather variability, the long-term shrinkage of sea ice has a reinforcing effect on global warming in a region already warming faster than anywhere else on the planet, Dr King said.
Ice reflects sunlight back to space. When it melts, the sea ice exposes more of the dark ocean beneath, which then absorbs that solar radiation, adding to the warming.
Sea ice coverage is currently at or close to record low levels at both the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
The Arctic Ocean has endured another warmer-than-average winter in a region that is warming much faster than the rest of the planet.
The impact of the relatively warm air in the Arctic could play out for months to come. Multi-year ice is likely to be thinner and more cracked, leading to a faster melt when spring arrives, Dr Meyer said.
While researchers had pegged 2050 as a possible year when the Arctic will become ice-free, this winter and the previous one - also unusually warm - had thrown those estimates out.
Storm Emma: UK snow could reach 50cm as conditions worsen
Parts of the UK are braced for up to 50cm of snow, as Storm Emma brings worsening conditions.
A highly unusual red weather warning for snow is in force for south-west England and south Wales until the early hours of Friday.
UK roads, railways and airports have been severely hit by snow for a third day, with thousands of schools shut.
Thousands of drivers across the country are stranded in freezing temperatures as police urge people not to travel.
The military has been called in to rescue drivers who have been stuck for several hours on the A31 in Hampshire as police declared it a major incident.
Avon and Somerset police have also declared a major incident over concerns medical staff were unable to get to their place of work.
Police said about 100 vehicles are stuck in snow on the A303 at Ilminster, Somerset, and a rescue operation is under way.
In Dorset, around 100 vehicles are stranded on the A35 near Puddletown and a coach full of elderly passengers have been stuck on roads in Northumbria for eight hours, police said.
The Met Office has 11 live severe weather warnings for snow, ice and wind in place for the UK. The final warning is in place until 23:55 GMT on Monday. via StormEmma
South Dublin store sells out of bread, milk and spuds as 'Storm Emma' approaches via SouthDublinStore
Care worker dies on way to work in North Glasgow in the midst of the Beast from the East storm via NorthGlasgowBeast
Brits Warned To 'Get Home Before 6pm' As 'Beast From The East' Blizzard Set To Hit
Brits have been warned to get home as early as possible tonight as a snow blizzard is set to batter the UK.
The so-called ‘Beast from the East’ will generate four days of snow, with temperatures set to drop to as low as -15°C in certain areas of the country.
Train operators Southeastern and Great Northern have urged their customers to get home early tonight, ideally before 6pm, amid fears that severe weather conditions could shut down transport. ...
via BeastBlizzard
A devastating 49 people have already died as a result of the treacherous weather conditions brought about by Storm Emma.
The so-called ‘Beast from the East’ has proven to be deadly; taking lives across Europe.
Many of the deceased are said to be homeless, with emergency shelters being set up in cities across Europe to help battle against the effects of the perilous weather. ...
A care worker in Glasgow, named as Elaine McNeill, died while battling the storm on her way to work. Elaine has been described by colleagues as ‘lovely’ and ‘popular.’
A spokesperson from Cordia, where Elaine worked, released the following statement:
We are shocked and saddened to hear about the death of Cordia employee, Elaine McNeill in the Milton area of Glasgow. ... via Beast Killed48
More About Beast from the East Storm and Freezing UK Weather - February 2018
UK weather: Snow causing widespread travel disruption via UKSnowtravel
Carnage as drivers face staying overnight on snow-hit M80 via DriversM80Night
Thousands Of Irish People Flock Back To Mass In Search Of Bread via IrishPeopleFlock
Live updates as Scotland battles through heavy snow after brutal Beast from the East weather system hits hard via ScotlandBattles
Red alert issued for all counties ahead of blizzard via RedAlert
Flights grounded as the Beast from the East bites via FlightsGrounded
London police officers enjoy snowball fight as Beast from the East blows into the capital
'ELLO, 'ello 'ello... what's all this then?
A group of London police officers made the most of the capital's rare snowfall - by having a snowball fight in the street.
Dubliners devastated as 'defenceless' little dog found dead in the snow via DublinersDevastated
Beast from the East: Much of Europe is colder than the Arctic via EuropeColderthanArctic
Ski centre in Kent closes due to too much snow via Ski Kent
Couple marries in snow after Beast from the East crashes their wedding via Couple marries in snow
Military Helps Rescue Hundreds Of Stranded Motorists Across The Country via MilitaryHelps
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