A top Scots weather expert has given his verdict on the possibility of the country facing round two of ‘the Beast from the East’. The UK is set for a “very snowy period” in the coming weeks thanks to a Polar Vortex sweeping in, according to some forecasters.
A seven-day window has been identified which could see many areas open to heavy flurries. Scotland will apparently bear the brunt of the blizzard, which is becoming reminiscent of the freezing air and heavy snowfall that hit the UK in spring 2018, prompting the Met Office to issue a rare red weather alert.
James Madden of Exacta Weather ominously suggested the Beast from the East is “waking,” while weather maps from WX Charts show the mercury plunging as a huge weather front approaches the UK from Europe.
So, amid warnings that a total whiteout may be on the horizon, is there actually truth to the ‘Beast from the East 2’ claims? Much-loved TV forecaster Seán Batty has waded into the conversation to offer his two pence.
“A large high-pressure system is set to strengthen over Scandinavia and Russia in the coming days, and once these settle in, they can be notoriously stubborn,” Batty told STV.
“This does place the UK in an easterly airflow but calling it a ‘beast’ seems a stretch – I’d rather reserve this for occasions when extreme cold and heavy snow actually looks likely.”
While the meteorologist conceded the air is coming from Russia which is “typically a bitterly cold source at this time of year,” temperatures there are actually much milder than usual, with some areas 5-10C warmer than average.
“As a result, the air reaching us won’t be nearly as frigid as it could have been, meaning we’re unlikely to see anything severe,” Batty continued.
“So, while the next several days will turn chillier, with daytime highs around 5°C and night-time lows dipping below freezing under clear skies, this is fairly typical for February.”
To put things in perspective, Sean harked back to January’s northerly blast that brought daytime highs of -10C and lows of -20C to the north Highlands. “Now that was a beast,” he concluded.
However, things could change over the coming days and weeks. Batty warned: “If this high pressure lingers for weeks, Russia, Scandinavia, and eastern Europe will turn much colder, and if the easterly flow holds we could see something more beastly later this month.”
The massive blizzard is set to hit Scottish shores from the east on Monday, February 10. By the following day at noon, the most snow is expected around the Scotland-England border, where as much as 22cm (almost nine inches) could be settled on the ground.
The Highlands could see as much as 14cm (more than five inches) in some areas. Sub-zero temperatures are expected across most of Scotland for several days as the weather front makes its way across the country.
The charts forecast snowfall across Scotland on February 14, with significant accumulations expected in central and eastern parts of the country across Valentine’s weekend, meaning hopeless romantics should wrap up. While heavier snowfall is likely in higher elevations, lower-lying areas could also see some accumulation.