General Election may be hit by coldest winter in 30 years as Beast from the East forecast to freeze UK with icy weather
BRITS trudging back to the polls for a likely General Election in December could be battling with the coldest winter in 30 years.
A Beast from the East is forecast to bring icy weather and freezing temperatures to the UK at the end of the year, which could see more vulnerable voters struggle to have their say.
Exacta Weather forecaster James Madden said: “Snow events have been few and far between in recent years, but this winter is looking favourable to bring snow event after snow event as weather systems from the Atlantic clash with cold stagnated air over the UK.”
That could mean to rival the freezing winter of 1963, which is said to have been the coldest for 200 years.
While the date has not been set and debates continue on a General Election, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has now backed the plan to go back to the people.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was determined to give his Brexit law one more try before Christmas - but last night abandoned that in an attempt to sway over Opposition MPs.
He can instead bring it back after an election if he wins a majority, but this would mean we would not leave the EU until the end of the year at the very earliest.
So this leaves Brits preparing to face another election, and some of the coldest weather for years.
It could affect turnout to the polling booths, as older people and those with disabilities may find it difficult to cope with the chill.
What is the Beast from the East?
According to The Met Office, the 'Beast from the East' is a phrase used to describe cold and wintry conditions in the UK as a result of easterly winds from the near continent.
When pressure is high over Scandinavia, the UK tends to experience a polar continental air mass.
When this happens in winter, cold air is drawn in from the Eurasian landmass bringing the cold and wintry conditions that give rise to the 'Beast from the East' moniker.
For UK weather, this means the characteristics of the air depend on the length of sea track during its passage from Europe to the Britain.
The air is inherently very cold and dry and if it reaches southern Britain with a short sea track over the English Channel, the weather is characterised by clear skies and severe frost.
With a longer sea track over the North Sea, the air becomes unstable and moisture is added giving rise to showers of rain or snow, especially near the east coast of Britain.
The UK’s lowest temperatures usually occur in this air mass, lower than minus 10 °C at night, and sometimes remaining below freezing all day.
Polar continental air only reaches Britain between November and April. At other times of the year the source region is neither cold nor snow-covered and winds from north-eastern Europe bring a form of tropical continental air.
And the date could not only bring cold weather to contend with - students wanting to vote may not be able to as they travel home from university.
"It would also rank January-February 2020 as the seventh coldest winter in the past 30 years."
The predictions were made in one of the first long-range UK weather forecasts ever attempted.
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Snow is due to hit Scotland this week as temperatures plummet and the country feels the chill of approaching winter.