Met Office verdict on ‘Beast from the East’ and whether it will bring deep freeze to UK
The UK may be hit with a “Beast from the East” this weekend as cold Easterly winds could bring snow and freezing temperatures.
The Met Office has warned of a “cold snap” as temperatures plunge later this week, potentially bringing snow and wintry blasts to parts of Scotland and England. The wintry winds will hit the UK from the East, moving in from Scandinavia.
Experts have said the weather front could be described as a ‘Beast from the East,” a term coined in 2018 when winter blizzards hit the British Isles. Currently, there are no weather warnings in place across the country, but the Met Office has predicted light snowfall for parts of the UK.
Patches of snow could also reach parts of Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside and the Pennines at around 9pm on Friday night (February 7).
Although temperatures aren’t forecast to dip far below zero, the Met Office says the so-called Easterlies will make it feel colder.
A Met Office spokesperson told the Manchester Evening News (M.E.N): “As Easterly winds move in from Scandinavia on Friday and through to the weekend, temperatures are set to feel lower than they are. Actual temperatures will be just lower than average for the time of year, with the potential for light snowfall in some areas”
The weather agency said the cold winds and dip in temperatures could also increase the risk of “wintery hazards like snow and ice,” according to Frank Saunders, the Met Office Chief Meteorologist.
The phrase ‘Beast form the East’ is simply used to describe when cold air from the East hits the UK, bringing “below average temperatures and wintry conditions,” said Prof Liz Bentley, Chief Executive at Royal Meteorological Society.
In 2018, the UK experienced blizzards and gales as a result of a cold,