Yellow warnings for snow and ice issued today

[Cookham Webmaster]

More snow and ice misery is on the way, while stormy winds of up to 70mph threaten washouts in the worst affected areas. The Met Office has also warned of potential power cuts, transport delays and cancellations, as well as an increased risk of injury from slips and falls.

Bone-chilling winds will sweep the south today (March 13), with warnings for gusts of up to 65 mph, resulting in train chaos and the Severn Bridge being closed for the rest of the day. It will be followed by a new arctic blast that will start in Scotland and move down into the north of England, according to the forecasters.

Temperatures could fall as low as -16C in some parts, while today's thawing snow and rain forecast for other parts of the UK have seen multiple flood alerts issued. A yellow alert for snow affecting millions of Brits up and down the country has been issued by the Met Office.

The below-average temperatures will stick around for weeks, with warnings of more snow as late as Easter Sunday on April 9. A Met Office forecaster added: "Strong winds will likely turn northerly again, drawing colder air across much of the UK. The theme of snow on the leading edge of spells of rain pushing north is likely to continue."

According to the Met Office records, the last time the UK witnessed a widespread white Easter was in 2008, while the lowest-ever temperature of -12.5C was recorded in 2013. However, in 2019, the holiday saw an exceptional high of 24.6C.

The meteorologist added: "March 24 to April 7 is forecast colder spells in the North, with occasional wintry showers, and a risk of snow mainly on the boundary with rain and strong winds in the milder South." The disappointing forecast means March could be colder than winter for the first time in a decade.

The temperature this month averages just 3.6C so far - some 2.1C below normal - according to Met Office figures for central England. It follows a weekend of icy chaos that saw widespread travel disruption as temperatures plunged to -15.7C in northern Scotland on Saturday.