A repeat occurrence of the notorious 2018 ‘Beast from the East’ is predicted to impact the United Kingdom in the coming days. Meteorologists expect a combination of high pressure over Scandinavia and cold Easterly winds originating from Poland and Ukraine to move towards the UK. If the forecasts are accurate, significant snowfall could blanket the country for up to ten days.
While the arrival of a major snowstorm in the UK is not yet confirmed, there is a possibility that eastern regions will bear the brunt of the impact before the heavy snow extends across the rest of the nation. This snow alert follows the issuance of rare Amber weather warnings in parts of the UK last week, leading to school closures and flight cancellations at various airports.
Jim Dale, a senior meteorologist at British Weather Services, highlighted that recent simulations indicate the development of high pressure over Norway and Sweden, resulting in the onset of Easterly winds. However, Dale emphasized the need for sustained snowfall to categorize it as a true ‘Beast from the East’ event, rather than just cold winds.
Dale outlined three potential scenarios for the end of the month, mentioning the possibility of minimal impact from cold Easterly winds, a significant snow event affecting eastern counties first, or a prolonged snowy period if the Beast lingers over the UK due to an Atlantic low pressure system.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued a Yellow weather warning for icy conditions in western and northern Scotland, cautioning about the formation of icy surfaces in areas where heavy snow has melted or significant rainfall occurred. Elsewhere in the UK, flood alerts and warnings are in place following Storm Goretti, with South West England bracing for potential flooding due to a yellow weather warning for rain.
In Scotland, the Met Office spokesperson indicated that ice may form on untreated surfaces overnight due to clear spells, particularly in areas where snow has melted or wintry showers move inland from the west. Kent and Sussex declared a major incident after 30,000 properties experienced water supply disruptions from burst pipes and power outages, prompting apologies from South East Water for ongoing service outages.