Britain faces 60mph storms and a polar plunge this week

Britain is set to be battered by 60mph storms and a polar plunge colder than last week as the odds on a white Christmas are slashed – amid fears the La Niña phenomenon will bring a record freezing winter.

The Met Office has forecast mild conditions until a wild Wednesday and Thursday with strong winds for all, with the fiercest gusts due 55mph in the South and 60mph in the West.

A bitter polar air arrives on Thursday, with low-level settling snow showers on Thursday and Friday possible ‘anywhere’ and most likely near coasts and in the North generally.

Two inches of settling snow in the South-East is shown on forecast models, according to the Weather Outlook, while ‘big snow events’ are likely.

A prolonged period of cold in the Pacific Ocean has sparked speculation that the UK will face sub-zero temperatures for months. 

Two women use their coats to keep warm

Despite temperatures dropping close to 1C this weekend, British clubbers still enjoyed a night on the town in Newcastle

A steam train powers along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway where snow covers the ground on the approaches to Goathland Summit this morning

A steam train powers along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway where snow covers the ground on the approaches to Goathland Summit this morning

A promoter wrapped up warm against the chill in Newcastle does her best to convince women on a night out to visit her club

A promoter wrapped up warm against the chill in Newcastle does her best to convince women on a night out to visit her club

Temperatures close to freezing resulted in a very quiet night on the streets of party city on Newcastle this weekend, but there were several who braved the cold

Two women on a night out in Newcastle

Temperatures close to freezing resulted in a very quiet night on the streets of party city on Newcastle this weekend, but there were several who braved the cold

The sun rises through the Durdle Door arch in Dorset (pictured) at the only time of year that this can be seen from the beach

The sun rises through the Durdle Door arch in Dorset (pictured) at the only time of year that this can be seen from the beach

Shock in Cornwall and Kent as daffodils come out to bloom – in DECEMBER

A walker was stunned after coming across newly bloomed daffodils – on December 1.

The incredible scene was witnessed by Roy Curtis at Carne near Portscatho in Conwall.

He saw the gently nodding flowers which are usually associated with spring on the first day of winter.

The out of kilter daffs are either very late – or very early – and have managed to emerge despite the recent cold spell. 

‘It was quite a sight,’ Mr Curtis said. ‘I’ve never known them emerge in December before.’

Meanwhile, Ian Scammell, 42, was driving in Ramsgate, Kent when his wife Lynsey Scammell pointed out daffodils on the side of the road.

The father-of-two said it was ‘surreal’, especially as it had been so cold, so decided to capture the scene on Friday morning.

He even put tinsel around the flowers to prove it was December. Ian, a freelance photographer from Whitstable, Kent, said: ‘They do stick out. My wife was with me, and she saw them straight away.’

This incredible scene was witnessed by Roy Curtis at Carne near Portscatho in Conwall. He saw the gently nodding flowers which are usually associated with spring on the first day of winter

This incredible scene was witnessed by Roy Curtis at Carne near Portscatho in Conwall. He saw the gently nodding flowers which are usually associated with spring on the first day of winter

When La Nina is brewing — as is the case now — warmer winds are blocked. As a result, bitter northerlies can come blasting in, bringing the kind of weather expected this week. They also create the potential for it to get a lot colder.

La Nina was blamed for the big freeze of winter 2010 and the coldest December on record, with lows of -13c, snow on the ground for weeks and blizzards that deposited 2ft drifts, bringing parts of the country to a standstill. 

Government weathermen said polar winds will feel even colder than before this weekend, when windchill made daytime maximums felt like -3C to 0C for most.

The Met Office said a second bout of gales on Saturday and Sunday is set to see snow at low levels in the North and on higher ground further south. 

Forecaster Mark Wilson said: ‘The first low pressure area sees windy conditions for the whole of the UK on Wednesday into Thursday, with gusts approaching 55mph near South coasts and 60mph near West coasts.

‘The gates open for Arctic air on Thursday, and just about anywhere could see wintry showers on Thursday and Friday,

‘Wintry showers will be mainly in coastal areas and in the North generally. Low levels will see snow showers, with potential for the snow to settle.

‘The northerly winds will feel colder than the cold spell before the weekend, with lower daytime maximums as well, although winds will make nights slightly less cold than before the weekend, at -3C.

‘A second low pressure area is due at the weekend, with strong winds and the risk of gales in the North.

‘Snow could fall particularly in northern parts, possibly to lower levels, and higher ground elsewhere could see wintry showers.’

The Met Office has forecast mild conditions until a wild Wednesday and Thursday with strong winds for all, with the fiercest gusts due 55mph in the South and 60mph in the West

The Met Office has forecast mild conditions until a wild Wednesday and Thursday with strong winds for all, with the fiercest gusts due 55mph in the South and 60mph in the West

Most people who braved the cold wrapped up warm and those who were a bit braver looked like they might have regretted their decision

Most people who braved the cold wrapped up warm and those who were a bit braver looked like they might have regretted their decision

The Weather Outlook forecaster Brian Gaze said: ‘A very wet and windy period could be seen on Wednesday and Thursday.

‘Some forecast models show a big snow event as a bitterly-cold Arctic air flow develops in the second half of the week, with the risk of heavy snow pushing south.’

STV weather presenter Sean Batty said: ‘We may often find ourselves in the battleground between warm and cold air, which can produce big snow events.’

Ex-BBC weatherman Michael Fish, now forecasting for Netweather, said: ‘Cold Arctic air is set to return later in the week, tangled up with low pressure, which may mean even blizzard conditions.’

The Weather Company said: ‘Another cold blast from the Arctic will see temperatures plummeting with snow falling to lower levels.’

Meanwhile, Ladbrokes has cut white Christmas odds to 6/4 for Glasgow, 4/1 for Manchester and 5/1 for London, and odds for the winter to be the coldest on record – beating 1963’s of an -0.18C average temperature – are 6/4. 

The skyline of London was blanketed in thick fog this morning, as Britain prepares for a chilly week and the possibility of snow

The skyline of London was blanketed in thick fog this morning, as Britain prepares for a chilly week and the possibility of snow



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