UK weather forecast latest: London snow warning as 'Polar Vortex' arrives with bitter chill

Martin Coulter23 February 2018

Londoners woke up to bitterly cold conditions this morning as a nationwide 'polar vortex' heightened the risk of widespread snow and travel disruption.

Brits are set to face the "coldest week in five years" with heavy snow showers and harsh frost expected to sweep the country next week.

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for London and the south east, with snow expected throughout the day on Monday and Tuesday.

Temperatures are expected to drop below zero towards the end of next week.

The south east is expected to feel particularly cold as polar continental air brings freezing weather from Siberia.

Yellow snow warnings are also in place for the north east of England and Scotland for Friday.

Meteorologist Alex Burkill told the Standard that the cold snap was likely to mirror freezing winter weather seen in March 2013 – the second coldest March recorded in more than 100 years.

He said: “Britain faces what we could call a significant cold period that is likely to last for much of next week and beyond.

“Temperatures will remain below 0C in some places dropping to minus double figures overnight.

“Significant snow showers will sweep the UK from Monday bringing heavy frost and the risk of widespread disruption.

Cold Weather 'Polar Vortex' arrives in London

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"It is not possible to give exact areas at this time but wintery showers are likely to be widespread including London and the south east.”

Snow showers could hit parts of the west coast as early as Friday, Mr Burkill added.

Temperatures across the UK will hover between 3C and 7C over the weekend before plummeting below 3C nationwide on Monday.

A number of Londoners took to Twitter early on Monday morning to complain about plunging temperatures. One, @london_dolans, simply wrote: "Nah London's too cold I hate it."

Another, Graham Chapple, wrote: "London is cold. I am tired. There's another flight to catch. I am tired."

Parts of Scotland are expected to face overnight temperatures as low as -10C as early as Monday, forecasters added.

The weather comes after a sudden stratospheric weather event in skies above the North Pole last week.

The phenomenon saw air temperatures around 18 miles above the area rise significantly pushed cold air across Europe.

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