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he UK could see a new Beast from the East as the Arctic experiences another sudden stratospheric warming event (SSW), experts have said.
Meteorologists have observed an SSW is under way, which is associated with very cold weather.
When this happens in the Arctic, it can lead to a rush of cold air blowing eastwards across Europe a few weeks later, bringing much cooler temperatures to the continent.
The Met Office said this is what caused the Beast from the East in 2018 – an icy blast of freezing Siberian winds which brought freezing temperatures and heavy snow to much of the UK.
Met Office meteorologist Nicola Maxey said: “An SSW can lead to what media call The Beast from the East, which is an easterly influence to our weather.
“This tends to bring colder weather. The winter of 2018 was an easterly influence to our weather which resulted from an SSW.”
The UK was hit with Siberian winds in 2018
/ PA )However, the stratospheric warming event is also vying with La Nina for influence over the UK’s weather.
La Nina is caused by warming of the oceans in the Pacific and tends to bring milder weather to the UK. Although it can also cause wet weather and storms.
This may protect the UK from the worst of the weather seen in 2018.
Indeed, the UK experienced an SSW in 2019, and temperatures did not plunge to the degree they did during the Beast from the East.
“We also had an SSW in 2019, which led to a slightly colder end to January”, Ms Maxie said.
Either way Ms Mazie said the UK can expect wintry weather this month, with some northerly upland areas reaching lows of minus ten degrees celcius at nighttime later this week.
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