Will it be even colder than the winter of 1962-3? Big freeze returns tomorrow... and it's going to last for a MONTH
By Paul Bentley, Becky Barrow and Sophie FreemanLast updated at 1:06 AM on 15th December 2010
Temperatures will plummet tomorrow and will stay bitterly cold for the next month, forecasters have warned.
Severe weather warnings have been issued as the second Big Freeze of the season puts the country on course for a winter even colder than the notoriously treacherous 1962-63.
North-westerly parts of the country got a sneak preview today of the freezing weather to come. At 9am, West Scotland was still shivering at -7c while the mercury stood at -3c in north-west England.
Plummeting temperatures: Britain was blanketed in snow last week - and the big freeze is set to return. Temperatures will stay bitterly cold for a month
A spokesman for the Met Office said: 'A band of rain and snow will move southwards across Scotland and Northern Ireland during the early hours of Thursday with widespread icy surfaces then rapidly developing, potentially around the morning rush-hour period.
THE GREAT FREEZE OF 1962/63
One of the coldest winters on record, the Great Freeze of 1962/63 got underway at Christmas - and kept its icy grip on Britain right the way into March.
Heavy snow began to fall on Boxing Day and continued for the next three days.
Heavy blizzards closed roads, while railways were blocked and scores of sporting fixtures had to be cancelled.
Snow drifts of up to 20ft (6.1m) were recorded in some parts and the Thames iced over to such an extent that Londoners were able to skate on it.
Temperatures stayed low throughout January - dropping to -16c at times - while further snow arrived in the February.
The country eventually thawed in March 1963.
Heavy snow began to fall on Boxing Day and continued for the next three days.
Heavy blizzards closed roads, while railways were blocked and scores of sporting fixtures had to be cancelled.
Snow drifts of up to 20ft (6.1m) were recorded in some parts and the Thames iced over to such an extent that Londoners were able to skate on it.
Temperatures stayed low throughout January - dropping to -16c at times - while further snow arrived in the February.
The country eventually thawed in March 1963.
Temperatures on Thursday night will drop to between -3c and -6c, according to MeteoGroup.
Forecaster Aisling Creevey said: 'We've had a little bit of a reprieve over the last few days - pretty much everywhere is at risk from snow and icy conditions as the temperature drops on Thursday.
'And temperatures could be down to -10c in Scotland and to -4c and -5c across the country overnight on Friday.'
Snow is set to feature throughout the weekend.
David Price, a forecaster for the Met Office, said there would be 5cm-10cm of snow over much of the country, with some higher areas of Scotland facing as much as 20cm.
Looking further ahead Jonathan Powell, a forecaster with Positive Weather Solutions, said: 'Our models are showing we will see a white Christmas. The most likely places to have one are Scotland, north-east England, the east coast, the South East and London. It's going to happen.'
Scotland's Transport Minister resigned at the weekend after heavy snow caused transport chaos across the country last week.
The Great Feeze: Guards march to Buckingham Palace in the snow in the winter of 1962
Frozen: The icy sea and snow-covered shore in Whitstable, Kent in 1963
Keeping warm: New Forest ponies shelter under the trees in 1963. Snowdrifts of up to 20ft (6.1m) were recorded in some places
Today's forecasts came as rail company Southeastern, which runs some of the country's busiest commuter routes, admitted it would 'always be a challenge' to run good services in snowy conditions.
The firm, whose season ticket-holders face the biggest fare increases in the new year, faced criticism about the way it dealt with the wintry weather earlier this month.
Traffic chaos: Motorists on the M8 in Scotland were left stranded in their cars overnight last week. More snow and ice is forecast for this week and the Met Office has issued several severe weather warnings
'If there is very, very heavy snow, we are always going to find it a struggle to provide a good service.'
Royal Mail meanwhile announced it was spending £20 million on extra measures to handle the severe weather as it deals with the busiest posting day of the year.
The postal group said it expects to handle 130 million Christmas cards, letters and packets today ahead of the final posting dates of Saturday for second class and December 21 for first-class mail.
Explore more:
- People:
- Jonathan Powell,
- David Price
- Places:
- London,
- Scotland,
- United Kingdom,
- Northern Ireland
- Organisations:
- Met Office
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1338191/UK-weather-Big-freeze-returns-tomorrow-going-MONTH.html#ixzz18AE0YS62
