COLDER THAN NORTH POLE
BRITS are set to be blasted with lows of up to -10C as the "Beast of the East" brings an icy arctic spell from Siberia.
Up to four inches of snow could hit vast swathes of the UK from Monday as the polar vortex sweeps in icy air, making Britain colder than the North Pole.
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After a freezing -5.5C was recorded in Sussex last night, the mercury will drop further over the weekend as Britain braces itself for the coldest week in five years.
Widespread frost is anticipated from Sunday before snow blasts the country next week.
Between 5-10cm of snow is due to hit the UK on Monday before spreading to almost the entire country by Wednesday, with the exception of Wales, the Outer Hebrides, and parts of the South West.
Brits are warned to expect delays and cancellations of rail and air travel, while some rural communities face being cut off by road.
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Highs of 5C today will sink to 3C tomorrow against dry and sunny skies, with similar lows of -5C anticipated tonight and tomorrow.
But Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said the felt temperature could be far lower - and snow could cause the mercury to sink even lower.
Three severe weather warnings for snow have now been issued from Monday through to Wednesday.
"The temperature all depends on snow cover," said Mr Petagna.
"There's a potential for minus double figures of -10C or when snow comes on Monday or before."
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The North Pole is forecast for lows of -7C tomorrow - which could seem positively balmy when Britain hits its lowest temperatures in years.
Petagna said there was a "slim chance" there'd be a flurry of snow in the North East on Sunday night, and promised things would become "heavily disruptive" from then on.
"Temperatures are going to struggle to get above freezing next week and it's going to feel even colder," he said.
"The air is quite dry, and as we go into next week the temperatures are going to feel as cold as minus double digits."
The unusually cold February would also "postpone" spring, which usually falls on March 1.
"The air coming in from Russia is bitterly cold, and in this instance the term 'Beast of the East' is completely valid," he said.
The freezing snap is far from a freak occurrence, however.
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March 2013 was similarly cold, Petagna added, while December 2010 and February 2009 also featured high on the cold list.
The coming weeks are "largely uncertain", he added, but Brits needed to stay vigilant to keep warm.
"People keep tuned on forecast, they need to allow time for their journeys, and generally be prepared for unusually cold weather," he said.
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