Cold weather to last all week
Jan 6 2009 by Sam Wood, The Journal
THE cold snap which has brought a shiver to the region is likely to continue for the rest of the week, forecasters predicted last night.
Siberian winds blasting the UK are bringing temperatures far below the seasonal average, leaving the country in the grip of one of the coldest winters for years.
Much of the North East woke up to bitter conditions yesterday, with frost and snow on the ground, as overnight temperatures plunged below freezing.
And with temperatures predicted to drop as low as -3C or -4C overnight, there could be an icy commute for workers this morning.
Meanwhile day-time temperatures yesterday didn’t rise much above freezing, compared with the monthly average of 6C.
The cold conditions come off the back of a bitter end to 2008 in which the North East saw temperatures fall to their lowest since 2001. The average temperature for December was a chilly 3C – below the long term average for the month.
And the cold weather is predicted to continue until this weekend.
Met Office forecaster Helen Chivers said the region was facing one of its coldest winters for a while. And she said we might not have seen the end of the snow.
She said: “There may be some issues with frost and ice on minor roads today.
“The rest of the week will remain cold and later on Tuesday we could see flurries of snow as cloudy weather moves in from the North.
“Temperatures on Tuesday night will again fall below zero and that could cause more serious problems on the roads, especially in places where the snow fell as rain.
“We are being hit by winds from the east – Siberia – at the moment and that is bringing the cold but dry weather, and we look like we could be in the middle of one of the coldest winters for years.
“On Wednesday things may start to get a little warmer, but will still be below the normal average. But by Friday or Saturday we may see temperatures become more normal.
“The entire UK has been colder than usual this winter. We had a front from the Arctic which caused the snow at the beginning of December and that has not really moved much at all, it has been trapped under a high pressure system.” Northumbria Police last night issued advice for drivers travelling in the wintry conditions.
They said motorists should watch their speed in snowy or icy conditions and allow extra time to get to work if poor weather is forecast overnight.
Officers also advised drivers to fully clean snow from headlights and windscreens before setting off, use dipped headlights in reduced visibility and to make sure they keep a good distance from the vehicle in front.
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