Could we see a return of the Beast from the East? (Picture: Getty, PA)
Britain could be heading into one of its coldest winters in decades, scientists have said.
Climate experts at University College London have studied current sea temperatures and a weather system over the north Atlantic, predicting extreme weather for the UK.
They say a freezing vortex of Arctic air is expected to hit the country in the next four months, seeing temperatures plunging to their lowest in decades.
Forecasters predict it could be colder than the Beast from the East, which saw temperatures in the Cairngorms in Scotland drop to -14°C.
Nearly 60cm of snow fell in Gloucestershire and bitterly cold winds reached up to 70mph in some parts of the country.
If the Arctic air moves into the UK this winter, it is likely to bring icy temperatures and snow that could last weeks, scientists said.
During the Beast from the East in February 2018, temperatures plunged to as low as -5°C (Picture: PA)
Led by professor Mark Saunders, the UCL team told The Sunday Times: ‘This would rank the 2020 January-February central England temperature as the coldest winter since 2013.’
They added: ‘It would also rank January-February 2020 as the seventh coldest winter in the past 30 years.
‘There is a 57 per cent chance the central England temperature will be colder than in 2018, thus making it the coldest January-February since 2013.’
UCL researchers measured changes in sunlight and other factors that affect the 200mph Gulf stream in order to be able to make a long term weather prediction.
What was the Beast from the East?
A woman in Balloch, Scotland during snowy Beast from the East weather (Picture: Getty)
The weather system hit in February 2018 and was caused by a jump in temperatures high over the Arctic, known by meteorologists as ‘sudden stratospheric warming’.
It saw the UK’s temperatures plummet to -5°C in parts but wind chill meant the temperature felt as cold as -15°C.
It was so cold in the Brecon Beacons that an entire waterfall froze solid.
The Beast also hit France, Italy, Spain and Croatia – claiming a number of lives during the freezing cold snap.
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