UK weather forecast: Met Office warns SNOW to sweep across Britain 'in February' with temps set to PLUMMET to Arctic -7C
BRITS shivered as temperatures dipped to a bone-chilling -7C last night – and an Arctic blast on the way means it'll only get COLDER from here.
Wales last night faced its coldest night of the winter so far, as the mercury took a tumble to -6C in the country, and Brits endured freezing temperatures.
But the whole country felt the freeze last night. It was below zero everywhere, with dipping -7C temperatures in Oxfordshire and the south coast of England.
The Met Office said: "Last night was the coldest night of the Winter so far for Wales, with Sennybridge recording a low of -6.0 °C during the early hours of Friday."
Read our weather live blog for the latest news and forecasts
- Louis Allwood
How should you prepare for safe driving in snow?
Before heading off in the snow, plan your journey carefully and keep up-to-date with local weather reports. You should also:
- Allow more time than you usually would and ensure all the snow is clear from your vehicle.
- It is actually against the law to drive with snow on your car.
- Carry a lock de-icer with you to clear your locks.
- Make sure any auto wiper control is switched off before turning the ignition on.
- If they are frozen to the screen the control fuse will blow.
- Check your tyres for adequate tread so the grip is sufficient. If conditions are very bad you may want to consider using snow socks or chains.
- Use a good screenwash that protects down to at least -35C to prevent the water from freezing.
Being gentler on the throttle and brakes and slowing down, particularly on rural or ungritted routes, can help ensure a safe and trouble-free journey, advises the RAC.
Overnight temperatures remain above freezing
Weather outlook for Sunday to Tuesday
Largely cloudy, but generally dry with occasional brighter spells.
Patchy rain, mainly hills in the northwest.
Strong winds in north. Risk of patchy frost and fog overnight where skies clear.
- Joseph Gamp
Snow to hit London ‘from February 9’
It’s been predicted that snow will fall in London before the end of the winter.
Flurries are expected to hit the capital on February 9.
Before that, however, parts of Scotland and the north-east will face a battering on January 28.
- Joseph Gamp
Protecting the vulnerable during the cold
The UK Health and Security Agency has now alerted people in central and southern England to look out for vulnerable neighbours during the chill.
Agostinho Sousa, consultant in public health medicine at the organisation, said the cold can have a deadly toll.
“Cold weather can have a serious impact on health, particularly for older people and those with heart and lung problems, as it increases the risks of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections,” she said.
“Remind vulnerable relatives and neighbours to heat their home to at least 18C – particularly if they have reduced mobility, are 65 or older, or have a health condition.
“Should they need to go outside, it’s important for them to wear shoes with a good grip.”
- Joseph Gamp
Short weather outlook for Saturday
A dry day in southern and eastern parts with some sunshine.
Cloudier in west and particularly the north where some rain likely, persistent for northwest Scotland.
Milder parts of north.
- Joseph Gamp
UK weather outlook for Saturday and Sunday
Mainly dry on Saturday with sunny spells and variable amounts of cloud cover. There will also be some spells of rain and drizzle across northern Scotland.
Saturday will continue dry for most areas with the best of the sunny spells across eastern areas. Outbreaks of rain will continue across Scotland
- Joseph Gamp
Medical chiefs warn of cold weather's effect on health
Agostinho Sousa, a consultant at the UK Health and Security Agency, said the cold can have a deadly toll.
“Cold weather can have a serious impact on health, particularly for older people and those with heart and lung problems, as it increases the risks of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections,” he said.
“Remind vulnerable relatives and neighbours to heat their home to at least 18C – particularly if they have reduced mobility, are 65 or older, or have a health condition.
“Should they need to go outside, it’s important for them to wear shoes with a good grip.”
- Joseph Gamp
Is it illegal to leave your car engine running to defrost your windscreen?
If you leave your engine running while your motor is stationary on the road, it could land you in hot water.
“Stationary idling” is an offence under section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which means leaving the car running is off-limits.
The Act enforces rule 123 of the Highway Code which states: “You must not leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.”
So, defrosting your windscreen by leaving the engine and heating on is actually against the law.
However, this law doesn’t mean you have to turn your engine off at every red light, as it is simply aimed at unnecessarily idling vehicles to help reduce noise and air pollution.
- Joseph Gamp
Arctic air streaming from the north to deliver snow showers
Some places will soon see snow as the freezing blast holds the country in its grip.
Met Office forecaster Clare Nasir said: “There will be Arctic air streaming down from the north delivering snow showers, particularly in the far north-east of the country.”
However, in most places it’ll stay cold and mostly bright for the rest of the month.
- Joseph Gamp
Experts reveal ‘heating hacks’ to save money as temperatures drop
The heating experts at PlumbNation highlight the importance of heating your home, especially when the temperature drops below freezing:
“During periods of cold weather, the water in your pipes freezes and expands, which can lead to a build-up of pressure and end up bursting your pipes. Then when the ice starts to thaw out the water floods out, and this can end up costing thousands to fix (a lot more than your heating bill!).
“Using a thermostat with a timer offers a simple and speedy solution to controlling your heating effectively and is a better option than leaving your heating on low all day, as this isn’t considered to be an effective form of heating.
“There are other ways to stop your pipes from freezing, such as buying inexpensive pipe lagging and tank jackets to provide insulation.”
Expert Tips to Save Money on Your Heating:
- Upgrade your thermostat
- Stop draughts!
- Add an extra layer (or two!)
- Introduce soft furnishings
- Turn your thermostat down By 1°C
- Clean your radiators
- Don’t dry your clothes on your radiator
- Check your radiator covers
- Get your boiler serviced
- Joseph Gamp
Last night was the coldest of winter so far
BRITS shivered as temperatures dipped to a bone-chilling -7C last night – and an Arctic blast on the way means it'll only get COLDER from here.
Wales last night faced its coldest night of the winter so far, as the mercury took a tumble to -6C in the country, and Brits endured freezing temperatures.
But the whole country felt the freeze last night. It was below zero everywhere, with dipping -7C temperatures in Oxfordshire and the south coast of England.
The Met Office said: "Last night was the coldest night of the Winter so far for Wales, with Sennybridge recording a low of -6.0 °C during the early hours of Friday."
- Joseph Gamp
A fairly cloudy night ahead
The rain will hold off tonight, but it's going to be cloudy for most.
The Met Office tweeted: "Dry for many this evening, though fairly cloudy.
"Turning chilly across a few southern and east parts where skies remain clear."
- Joseph Gamp
Long range forecast – January 31 to February 14
The Met Office in its long-range forecast has predicted snow could fall towards the end of January into early February.
From January 31 to February 14, the Met Office warns that “some colder interludes remain possible, bringing a risk of occasional snow, this most likely over northern hills.”
The week beginning February first will see grim weather, and the coldest parts of winter still to come.
- Joseph Gamp
Next month could be coldest February on record, say bookies
Next month could be the coldest February on record, according to Ladbrokes.
The bookies now make it just a 3/1 shot for the coldest February EVER to be recorded this year, with temperatures soon set to tumble.
Elsewhere, 2/1 says this ends up being the coldest winter since records began.
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: "With a big freeze set to batter all four corners of the UK, the odds suggest we're in for some record-breaking low temperatures in the coming weeks."
- Joseph Gamp
Storm Elpis tearing through Greece
The Met Office: "Whilst high pressure dominates our weather pattern here in the UK, low pressure dominates southeastern parts of the Mediterranean Storm.
"Elpis has been named by the Greek Met Service EMY_HNMS.
"Heavy rain, strong winds and snow will affect parts of Greece, Cyprus and Turkey."
- Milica Cosic
If you're struggling this winter…
Winter fuel payments might be the answer.
If you are a pensioner, you could get a winter fuel payment from the government of between £100 and £300.
To qualify, you’ll must have been born on or before September 26, 1955 and the date for this changes every year.
Plus, you must also have lived in the UK for at least one day during the “qualifying week” which is September 20 to 26, 2021.
- Milica Cosic
'Winter is not over'
Jim Dale, senior meteorologist at British Weather Services has said: "I think once we stir things up in February, there's every chance we get a wintry thrust from time to time, out of the north and out of the north east.
"Winter is not over. February is a wintry month, it is often the coldest month of the year.
"So it doesn't mean it can't strike. It can.
"But at the same time, it does look as if it's a more Atlantic origin, so it's not the worst of directions for general winter.
"But I expect that the Highlands and the Grampians will get back to a snow situation at times, as we push on.
"Whether it comes any lower, time will only tell – but I expect there will be some of that."
- Milica Cosic
Snow predicted for early Feb
Weather forecaster WXCharts has predicted snow in early February, with up to four inches (10cm) hitting parts of Scotland.
It has also forecast widespread rain, set to batter the UK by February 4.
WXCharts is predicting up to 30mm of rain in parts of Scotland and up to 10mm across the UK.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Dale said: "As we approach the end of the month, things do change.
"We lose the high pressure… the winds will start picking up.
"We'll have to watch the moving targets and see what develops but I think the emphasis is basically: change of month, change of weather."
- Milica Cosic
Top tips for safe winter driving
1. Drive slow — Speed limits indicate the maximum speed that should be travelled on that type of road. Depending on the type of vehicle you are driving and the current weather conditions, you may need to slow down.
2. Allow extra space — Stopping distances can increase to more than double during bad weather. Maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front allows more time to plan and brake as required.
3. Driving in fog — Before entering fog, it’s important to switch fog lights on, check your mirrors and slow down. Fog creates low levels of visibility, so remember to stay cautious of other drivers who may not be using headlights and keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front.
4. Loss of control — If the steering becomes unresponsive, it is likely that the tyres don’t have enough grip on the road. The best way to deal with this is to ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually. You should switch to winter tyres before the winter period, to increase the amount of grip you have while driving.
5. Driving on ice — When the temperature drops towards freezing, be wary of black ice. Drive slowly and avoid breaking where possible as this can cause the car to spin out of control.
6. Know when to stop — If visibility becomes extremely poor, drive carefully until it is safe to stop at a nearby petrol station, service station or safe location (such as a lay-by) until visibility increases. Avoid the hard shoulder as the chances of an incident occurring there are much higher in the winter months.
7. How to drive in snow — If your car gets stuck while driving in snow, take your foot off the accelerator and avoid spinning your tires. Instead, try the rocking manoeuvre which might give you enough momentum to drive out.
8. The highway code — Ensure that you consult the Highway Code which applies in England, Scotland and Wales, or the Highway Code for Northern Ireland and see rules 226 to 237 for further advice on driving in adverse weather conditions.
- Milica Cosic
How to drive safely in icy conditions as temperatures plummet
With the bitterly cold weather sweeping the UK, it’s important that drivers take care and are well prepared before they take to the roads on frosty mornings.
Emergency transport specialists CMAC Group have put together an expert advice piece on how to prepare for driving in wintery conditions, ideal for commuters and workers who rely on driving for work.
Before winter begins we recommend that all vehicles are fully serviced, ensuring:
- All lights are clean and working
- The battery is charged
- All windows are clean
- Windscreen wipers are in good working order
- Appropriate screen wash is used
- Tyres are free from bulges and tears with no cord exposed, correctly inflated and with a safe tread depth
- All fluids are topped up and antifreeze used where required
- Winter tyres have been installed
- Milica Cosic
Bitter chill may not last much longer
The bitter chill may not last for much longer.
Some weather models are suggesting signals for cold next month are getting weaker.
It means that if the high pressure continues, there could be some balmier weather on the way.
Emphasising that the forecast isn't clear enough yet to make an accurate prediction, Brian Gaze of The Weather Outlook said: "I wonder if we could have an early taste of spring?"
But before warmer days return, it's predicted that snow will fall in London before the end of the winter.
Flurries are expected to hit the capital on February 9.
Parts of Scotland and the north-east will face a battering on January 28.
- Milica Cosic
Parts of country to see snow soon
Some places will soon see snow as the freezing blast holds the country in its grip.
Met Office forecaster Clare Nasir said: “There will be Arctic air streaming down from the north delivering snow showers, particularly in the far north-east of the country."
However, in most places it'll stay cold and mostly bright for the rest of the month.
- Milica Cosic
'Cold weather can have a serious impact on health'
Agostinho Sousa, a consultant at the UK Health and Security Agency, said the cold can have a deadly toll.
"Cold weather can have a serious impact on health, particularly for older people and those with heart and lung problems, as it increases the risks of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections," he said.
"Remind vulnerable relatives and neighbours to heat their home to at least 18C – particularly if they have reduced mobility, are 65 or older, or have a health condition.
"Should they need to go outside, it's important for them to wear shoes with a good grip."
- Milica Cosic
Bone-chilling -7C last night
BRITS shivered as temperatures dipped to a bone-chilling -7C last night – and an Arctic blast on the way means it'll only get COLDER from here.
Wales last night faced its coldest night of the winter so far, as the mercury took a tumble to -6C in the country, and Brits endured freezing temperatures.
But the whole country felt the freeze last night. It was below zero everywhere, with dipping -7C temperatures in Oxfordshire and the south coast of England.
The Met Office said: "Last night was the coldest night of the Winter so far for Wales, with Sennybridge recording a low of -6.0 °C during the early hours of Friday."
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