Mercury plummets to -10c in Britian

There's a white weekend in store! Four inches of snow to fall across Britain tomorrow as the temperatures plummet to -10c

 

A level three 'amber' cold weather alert has been issued, warning of health risks to the elderly and the likelihood of disruption to transport. Snow falling and freezing on wire fences and walls in the Pennines yesterday make ice sculptures and on London Bridge (right) a commute wraps up against the cold.

Snow will sweep the country this weekend as the Arctic freeze tightens its grip.
Forecasters issued a nationwide cold weather alert, with temperatures expected to plunge as low as -10c (14f) from tonight.

Around two inches of snow covered Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk in white, while in the Pennines, fences and phone masts resembled ice sculptures.

The east of the country will again be covered in snow today and the South-East, Midlands and North will be hit tomorrow afternoon.

The Met Office said up to four inches of snow could fall over the weekend across much of England and Wales, with southern and central areas likely to see the worst of it.

Freezing weather has been sweeping towards us from eastern Europe where temperatures plummeted to -30c (-22f) this week and up to 150 have died.

A level three 'amber' cold weather alert - the second most serious - was issued, which warns of health risks to the elderly and vulnerable, and the likelihood of disruption to transport.

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Level four 4 would mean a 'major cold weather incident', in which normally healthy people are at risk from the cold.

The alerts are tied in to the Government's Cold Weather Plan and are relayed to organisations such as Age UK, which help the elderly through winter.



A a commuter crosses London Bridge yesterday morning

The military have been put on alert should conditions deteriorate to a level four.

When freezing conditions struck in 2010, members of the armed forces were called in to help clear snow from the roads and assist residents in particularly hard-hit areas and help clear special locations such as hospitals and care homes.

Paul Gundersen, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: 'We are expecting an area of snow to develop across a good part of England and perhaps east Wales late on Saturday and into Sunday, although the timing and extent is still rather uncertain.

'Milder air moving in from the west on Saturday will come up against the cold air from the east, and this battleground is likely to see rain, sleet and snow across the UK.'

Temperatures are unlikely to go above 2c (36f) today and will plunge to -5c (23f) at night in cities and -10c in rural areas, with the same happening tomorrow night.

Milder weather coming in from the Atlantic will see a thaw in the South-West and Wales on Sunday when daytime temperatures could reach 9c (48f). But freezing conditions will persist in the East into next week.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2095355/UK-weather-A-white-weekend-store-Three-inches-snow-fall-England-Saturday-cold-snap-grips-Britain.html#ixzz1lI8Qb5Ba