EXTREME weather is set to hit the UK, with freezing temperatures and flurries of snow expected – as Met Office warnings for dangerous ice remain in place this morning.
Temperatures of -10C are on the way – and the Met Office has predicted snow in the UK almost every day for the next two weeks, including today.
Forecasters say we may even see a rare white Christmas as an Arctic blast holds the UK in its grip.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has placed parts of the UK under a yellow weather warning for ice until 10am this morning.
The warnings cover around a third of the UK – with the biggest area encompassing the east of Scotland AND England, stretching from Edinburgh all the way down to NORWICH.
Read our UK weather live blog for the latest news and updates….
- Louis Allwood
Frosty in Manchester
Today's forecast for Manchester is a cold one as it will be a frosty but bright start.
Remaining dry and bright, though continuing to feel chilly with an early frost likely after dusk.
Turning cloudier through the evening from the west. Maximum temperature 5 °C.
- Louis Allwood
London and South East weather forecast
Outbreaks of sleet and light snow in the west, soon clearing.
Then largely dry with prolonged periods of sunshine, but patchy cloud across the far east of the region may produce the odd shower.
Feeling cold with brisk northwesterly winds. Maximum temperature 5 °C.
- Louis Allwood
Second yellow warning of ice
London & South East England, South West England, Wales and the West Midlands.
Starts: 12am on Thursday 2 December.
Ends: 10 am on Thursday 2 December.
Icy stretches likely to develop on Thursday morning – Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces.
Probably some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths – Some roads and railways may be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services.
- Louis Allwood
How is snow formed?
With snow hitting many parts of the UK, many people have been left asking… how does snow form?
A snowflake begins to form when an extremely cold water droplet freezes onto a pollen or dust particle in the sky. This creates an ice crystal.
As the ice crystal falls to the ground, water vapor freezes onto the primary crystal, building new crystals – the six arms of the snowflake.
The intricate shape of a single arm of the snowflake is determined by the atmospheric conditions experienced by entire ice crystal as it falls.
A crystal might begin to grow arms in one manner, and then minutes or even seconds later, slight changes in the surrounding temperature or humidity causes the crystal to grow in another way.
Although the six-sided shape is always maintained, the ice crystal (and its six arms) may branch off in new directions.
- Louis Allwood
Tonight will be another cold one
The Met Office have said that the night will start off cold but could turn mild.
"Rain reaching northwestern parts, preceded by some snow across Scotland, and moving southeastwards across most parts.
"Turning milder for most after a cold start."
- Louis Allwood
What will the weather be like today?
The Met Office have said "Rain, sleet and some snow clearing from southwestern parts.
"Wintry showers affecting the north and east, slowly becoming confined to Norfolk this afternoon, with gales along North Sea coasts slowly easing.
"Mostly dry and sunny inland but feeling cold."
- Louis Allwood
LONDON sees snow fall
SNOW has fallen in LONDON and across the UK in a -6C temperature plunge as more icy flurries are on the way.
The dramatic cold snap has brought snowfall to the capital as commuters spotted snow at Tube stations this morning.
Wintry showers and snow fell in London this morning as footage from bus stops and train stations showed the glacial conditions.
Bone-chilling winds could bring a monster five inches of snow today as three weather warnings for ice are in place for parts of Britain.
Freezing flurries are forecast across the UK – even down to the south coast – as icy -11C gusts take hold.
And after a mild day yesterday, it will feel particularly chilly, with average day-time temperatures of 2C in Scotland, 6C in Wales and Northern Ireland, and 7C in England.
- Louis Allwood
Can I still have the Covid booster if I have a cold?
The short answer is yes.
If you are certain it is not Covid you are suffering with and you are well enough to leave home, you can get your third shot with confidence.
It might make you feel a bit rougher than if you weren't ill, but overall it's perfectly safe – and you can emerge from your sickly funk safe in the knowledge you are protected against coronavirus.
A cold shouldn't have an effect on your body’s ability to build an immune response to the flu, even though it is fighting an illness.
NHS guidance says you should still attend your appointment even if you have a mild illness, including a common cold.
- Louis Allwood
'Unsettled' weekend ahead of us
The Met Office have said this weekend will be "Unsettled with showers or longer spells of rain.
"Some snow at times in the north, mainly over hills.
"Often windy, particularly in the southwest on Saturday. Rather cold."
- Louis Allwood
Do you leave the heating on for your pets?
Millions of Britain’s animal lovers who admit they keep their home heating on when they go out to ensure their fury friends stay warm, according to a new report yesterday.
For the latest research by Toolstation shows that more than four in ten- 43per cent – of the UK population leaves the central heating on for their pets when they leave home.
Half of those people worry that their pet will feel cold when they are not around, says the study which found that devoted owners are putting a lot of energy into keeping their four-legged friends happy when they are out of the house.
The report says that for many Brits pets are a part of the family and it gives homeowners peace of mind to know their pets are not chilly when they are left at home.
- Louis Allwood
Cops have miracle tree falling escape
Cops had a miracle escape as their van was wrecked by a tumbling tree while they attended the scene of a similar crush that killed a driver.
Officers abandoned the vehicle and completed their journey on foot amid hurricane-force winds during Storm Arwen this weekend.
But when they returned it had been almost obliterated by the fallen timber near Hatton of Fintray, Aberdeenshire.
Police confirmed a man of 35 was pronounced dead at the scene when his Nissan Navara pick-up was struck at 6pm on Friday.
- Louis Allwood
What do you do if you hit black ice?
- Stay calm
- Do as little as possible and allow the car to pass over the ice
- Don’t brake
- Try and keep the steering wheel straight
- If your back wheels start to slide left or right very slightly turn the wheel the same way
- If you turn in the opposite directing you risk skidding and spinning off the road
- Slow down by taking your foot off the accelerator
Will we have a White Christmas in the UK?
November – Colder conditions are expected in the period, with a risk of wintry showers, mainly in the north. Temperatures are likely to be close to or just below average.
Under high pressure, frost and fog are likely overnight, with any fog slow to clear during the morning, according to the Met Office long-range forecast.
December – Forecasters predict December will see fog and frost early in the mornings.
The north will see more changeable weather.
January – January is typically the coldest month of the year in the UK. Most parts of the UK will see rain while London and parts of the south might see snow, according to forecasters.
Temperatures are expected to reach between 2C and 7C.
Universal Credit recipients get help in cold weather
You may be able to get Cold Weather Payments if you claim certain benefits.
If you’re eligible, you could get £25 if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below over seven consecutive days.
For this year, the scheme runs between November 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.
You’ll get the payments if you’re on Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit or Support for Mortgage Interest.
You don’t need to apply, as you’ll get paid automatically.
Clever towel hack to stop your car windscreen freezing overnight
If you’re bored of spending an age de-icing the windscreen, one woman’s free tip will save you time each day – and all you need is an old towel.
She shared her nifty hack to TikTok, revealing she puts a towel over her windscreen overnight – which leaves her car frost-free in the morning.
It absorbs water and freezes instead of the windscreen, as she showed off her rock hard watermelon-themed towel, which she said was ‘like a crisp’.
She said: “When you put a towel on your windscreen to stop it freezing overnight.
“It’s frozen itself.”
So you can say goodbye to scraping ice in your gloves or boiling the kettle for warm water in winter.
- Louis Allwood
Explained: How to demist your windscreen
Start the heater off cold and then slowly increase the temperature, this will stop the car becoming full of hot “wet” air.
Make use of the air-con if you have the feature as this will prevent condensation.
Similarly with a clever climate control system, these features will automatically adjust to achieve the best results.
If you do not have air-con or climate control leave your windows slightly open to clear the windscreen faster.
Never drive away until your windscreen is clear.
- Louis Allwood
December looking to be a cold month
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said: “December is now looking to be a cold month throughout.
“From mid-month and into the final third of December could see some sudden stratospheric movements bringing an even colder north-east or easterly wind that could persist for number of weeks.
“Snow on Christmas Day is more likely in the north of the country, but things can change rapidly, and we can’t rule out festive snow anywhere.”
- Louis Allwood
It’s beginning to look a lot like Xmas
BOOKIES have slashed the odds of a white Christmas this year as the UK is already covered in snow.
It may still be four weeks away but temperatures have plunged well below zero in the frosty aftermath of Storm Arwen – and there is more snow on the way.
Experts reckon people in Edinburgh have the best chance at seeing snow on Christmas Day, with odds of 3-1.
The Scottish capital is followed by Newcastle at 7-2, Belfast at 4-1 and Birmingham at 5-1.
London is 13-2 for snow on the big day, while Manchester goes 11-2.
- Louis Allwood
Tops tips from the AA on driving safe in Storm Arwen aftermath
- Give yourself time: Allow plenty of extra time for your journey, including time to de-ice the car. It may take longer but it also means that you will have full visibility which in bad weather is vital.
- Don’t be tempted to pour hot water over the screen – if has a chip the sudden change in temperature could lead to a crack. Best way is to use a scraper. And don’t leave your car alone with the engine running, that’s an invitation to thieves
- Stay topped up: Top up the windscreen wash with a good quality additive to reduce the chance of freezing. Keep at least quarter of a tank of fuel – an accident or closed road up ahead is likely to result in long delays.
- Choose your route: Check your route for accidents or closures before you leave and, if possible, favour roads which have been gritted.
FIVE INCHES of snow
It is set to be a freezing today with winds that could bring a staggering five inches of snow.
Freezing flurries are forecast across the UK – even down to the south coast – as icy -11C gusts take hold.
But before the white stuff blankets Britain, those living in northern areas will have to endure "blustery, wintry showers" and coastal gales.
And after a mild day yesterday, it will feel particularly chilly, with average day-time temperatures of 2C in Scotland, 6C in Wales and Northern Ireland, and 7C in England.
Met Office forecasters warn the weather will get even colder overnight, with "driving" and "relentless" winds making it feel glacial.
Freezing over night
Overnight temperatures will hover around freezing further north, rising to highs of just 4C throughout the day.
It will be exceptionally crisp in central Scotland and the Midlands near Buxton and Hartington, Derbyshire, where it may not climb above zero all day.
The cold snap has sparked warnings for ice are for northern Scotland and eastern England today, extending to south west England and western Wales tomorrow.
- Louis Allwood
'Chilly' Thursday
The Met Office have confirmed that there will be many areas seeing plenty of chilly sunshine today.
They said "Many areas seeing plenty of chilly sunshine.
"Snow and hail showers in northern Scotland easing, but wintry showers fringing eastern coastal counties.
"Northwest UK seeing rain and hill snow later."
- Louis Allwood
Waze app notifies users of most recent road hazards
Ruairidh Roberts, UK Country Manager at Waze, commented: “As parts of the UK have faced the effects of the arctic plunge and Storm Arwen, we urge motorists making essential journeys to be extra diligent.”
“At Waze, we are expecting delays around the country as the turbulent weather causes chaos on British roads. As a result, we’ve sent out push notifications to our app users, encouraging them to report hazards caused by the bad weather.
“To report weather-related issues in Waze, users should tap the report button > hazard > weather, and select the option relevant to the event. Drivers can also use voice commands by saying “Ok Waze” and following the options to report weather disruption.”
- Adriana Elgueta
Don't pack away your mittens too quickly – the snow will be back in coming days
Snow is forecast across parts of England and Scotland over the next four days as temperatures dip below freezing.
Snowfall and ice is expected in the north of Scotland on Wednesday evening and the Northwest will see snow showers later on Thursday.
But the snow flurries are not expected to last and milder air will bring slightly warmer temperatures for the weekend.
Weather forecasters at WXCharts are predicting fresh snowfall to hit the Highlands on Wednesday and the north east of Scotland to be affected on Friday.
A light covering of new snow will fall on Glencoe mountain resort and Ben Nevis ahead of the weekend. Temperatures will also dip below freezing on Thursday morning near Perth in Scotland.
- Adriana Elgueta
'Irreplaceable' tree specimens lost to Arwen
The storm’s gale force winds also brought down thousands of trees, including irreplaceable specimens, according to the National Trust.
The conservation charity said the full extent of the damage was still being assessed but was likely to cost at least £3m to repair.
More than 50 trees were uprooted at the trust’s Bodnant Garden in north Wales, including a 51-metre tall coast redwood, as well as many hybrid rhododendrons that are unique to the property.
Storm Arwen is also thought to have blown a rare sea turtle 5,000 miles off course, after it was discovered on a beach in north Wales. A couple from Holywell were walking their dog on Talacre beach in Flintshire on Sunday when they discovered the motionless creature.
Marine experts identified the turtle as an Atlantic ridley, one of the most endangered species of sea turtle, which generally live off the Gulf of Mexico.
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