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Snow and Blizzard Conditions Coming this Weekend

In a previous blog post we talked about the Big Freeze of 2012. Well this weekend there is expected to be the biggest snow fall since then! It is estimated that there is not going to be much f the country that is left untouched by these snow storms in the next few days. Time to get the hat and scarf out and keep the air conditioningoff!

Wales has already seen snowfall and next is going to be the South West before these icy conditions hit the rest of Britain. Forecasters say that the worst of the snowfall will hit on Friday with up to 10 inches falling on higher ground. On lower ground there is expected to be between three and five inches. Airports and schools are expected to be closed and train services could be cancelled.

For most parts of the UK temperatures will be below zero which means it will be unbelievably cold especially with blizzard conditions. The Met Office has issued weather warnings in the East Midlands, North West and South West England, Wales, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and Humber.
Temperatures in East Anglia last night dropped to -11C. Jo Wheeler is a Sky News weather presenter and she has said, “As evening approaches, temperatures will drop, fog thickening in the east and there’ll be a widespread frost.

“As the rain spreads across Wales and the South West, it will give significant snowfall, potentially up to 25cm over exposed uplands.
“There’ll also be strong winds, with gusts of between 50mph and 60mph which will give blizzard conditions for a while.

“All in all, the travel situation will be quite atrocious for tomorrow’s commute or school run. The snow will push eastwards during the day, and is expected to reach London around the middle of the day, and eastern coasts by the evening.”

Snow this Morning Causes Chaos

So once again after a small amount of snow, Britain has come to a standstill. 50 flights were cancelled in the early hours of this morning. Trains have stopped running and there have already been accidents on the road caused by the dangerous conditions. Looks like we can say goodbye to our air conditioning units for the year and find the thermal jumpers!

Stansted airport was shut for two hours and meant that 30 departures and 20 arrivals were cancelled. In Luton the airport was also closed to clear snow although they don’t expect too many more delays.

A passenger whose flight had been cancelled at Stansted said, “I’m must surprised that such a small amount of snow can cause these problems. It only snowed for half an hour. And the snow started to melt shortly after it started snowing. I can’t imagine the airport has no forecast for this.”
A spokeswoman at the airport said, “The snow fell at a very busy period for us and it was extremely heavy for a short period of time.

“Heavy snow was falling on frozen ground and we have to make sure the airport is safe and secure so aircraft can stop, take-off and land. That is why we had to ose the runway so we could clear it of snow and make sure it was properly de-iced.

Today was the first day we saw snow for the season and it is predicted to continue until at least Friday. Overnight Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire were worst hit by seeing an inch of snow fall.

Between Watford Junction and Harrow and Wealdstone no trains were running till 10am this morning. There were many more delays in and around London as well.

Schools in Essex were closed, as many as 20 and appointments at Broomfield hospital were cancelled.

The Met Office are warning about ice and snow across Britain and to be careful whilst driving.