Coldest Winter in Britian Since Records Begun

Original Content Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1339149/Big-freeze-Temperatures-plummet-10C-bringing-travel-chaos-Britain.html

Coldest December since records began as temperatures plummet to minus 10C bringing travel chaos across Britain

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:38 AM on 18th December 2010

• Millions begin the big Christmas and New Year getaway early as the AA urged motorists to beware of the ‘worst driving conditions imaginable’
• Quarter of train services disrupted, travel warning in Kent
• Experts warn of a backlog of up to 4 million of parcels which could remain undelivered this Christmas
• The NHS issues an urgent appeal for blood donors as concerns grow over shortages
• Councils reveal plans to share grit amid fears the cold snap could last until January 14
• Odds shortened even further on a ‘White Christmas’ in some parts of the country next Saturday

Swathes of Britain skidded to a halt today as the big freeze returned - grounding flights, closing rail links and leaving traffic at a standstill.

And tonight the nation was braced for another 10in of snow and yet more sub-zero temperatures - with no let-up in the bitterly cold weather for at least a month, forecasters have warned.

The Arctic conditions are set to last through the Christmas and New Year bank holidays and beyond and as temperatures plummeted to -10c (14f) the Met Office said this December was ‘almost certain’ to become the coldest since records began in 1910.

Frozen: A dog and his walker enjoy the snow on Torquay beach today. The average temperature for December so far is -0.7c, making it on course to be the coldest since records began in 1910

Chilly: Christmas shoppers in Central London were caught in snow flurries today

The latest snowfall carpeted large swathes of Britain today - with up to 5in falling in places - paralysing roads and rail, and forcing airports and schools to close.
Forecasters warned the worst was still to come over the next 24 hours as the heaviest December snowfall for 30 years tightened its grip on the nation once more.
The South is expected to be worst hit with up to 10in falling during the course of tomorrow. By the start of next week temperatures are set to fall to as low as -15c (5f).
Met Office forecaster Barry Gromett said the average mean temperature for the first two weeks of this month was -0.7c.
The coldest ever average for this time of year - recorded in December 1981 - was 0.2c.


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