Britain is bracing for a potential repeat of the infamous 2018 'Beast from the East', with forecasters warning a major 10-day winter storm could unleash heavy snow and freezing temperatures from late January.
Forecaster Predicts Exact Start Date for Wintry Onslaught
Senior meteorologist Jim Dale of British Weather Services has provided an exclusive timeline, indicating that if the severe weather pattern develops, the UK could start feeling its effects from January 21. The event has the potential to last well into the early part of February.
"If there was a Beast, it would likely come from January 21," Mr Dale stated. "If it's a proper Beast, where we start to get the infiltration of snow, it could well last into the early part of February without a question. It wouldn't be that unusual to go a week, a week-and-a-half with that kind of scenario."
How the 'Beast' Forms: A Siberian Collision Course
The setup involves a massive plume of freezing air currently over Siberia, which is projected to sweep towards the British Isles. The critical factor for significant snowfall will be whether this bitter easterly wind collides with moisture over the North Sea.
"What we need to see is something a little bit more sustained that's got weight with it, with the weight obviously being snow - not just the cold direction of wind," explained Mr Dale. He noted that recent weather simulations show high pressure developing over Norway and Sweden, which would funnel the easterly winds towards the UK around the key date.
If the collision occurs, temperatures could plummet to as low as -10°C, triggering widespread and persistent snow events. Without that moisture, the country might only experience a cold, dry easterly wind.
Potential Impact and Areas First in the Firing Line
Should the 'proper Beast' scenario unfold, the forecaster warned of "significant snow, widespread, becoming more widespread across the country from east to west in time." The eastern counties would be hit first.
"All eastern counties would see snow first of all - Kent, Norfolk, Suffolk, etc. - and then it extends because it becomes ingrained," said Mr Dale. He described a scenario where the cold air becomes so entrenched it resists milder Atlantic systems, leading to prolonged periods of frost, ice, and snow.
The conditions being monitored are alarmingly similar to those that created the original Beast from the East in March 2018, a weather event that resulted in ten fatalities in the UK and dozens more across Europe. While the forecast is not yet certain, authorities and the public are being urged to stay vigilant as the potential storm window approaches.
