BRITAIN is bracing for an “Arctic plunge” as a ten-day chill is set to sweep through the country from today.
Snow is forecast up and down the UK with the cold creeping in over the weekend which comes with lows of -7C. Lows of -7C are expected later next week when ice and frost start to sweep across the country.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has said shots of Arctic air will hit our shores this week – "meaning much colder and wetter weather".
The weather agency tweeted: "Are you noticing the change in temperature? Several shots of Arctic air are on the way to the UK later this week as the jet stream dips southwards bringing much #colder and wetter weather.
"Strong #winds may bring some disruption by the weekend with #snow possible in places."
Read our weather live blog for the latest forecasts and updates…
- Joseph Gamp
Weather forecast for Manchester
Tonight
Showery rain at first this evening, but this will clear away to the south, with much clearer skies following from the north. Turning cold under the starry skies with a fairly widespread frost developing away from the coasts. Minimum temperature -2 °C.
Thursday:
Thursday will be a largely dry and sunny day, but it will feel much colder than on Wednesday. Some patchy cloud may develop in places, particularly over the Pennines. Breezier. Maximum temperature 7 °C.
- Joseph Gamp
'Cold & crisp start to Thursday morning'
The Met Office says the cold snap will begin tomorrow morning, with showers in the east and west of the UK.
The weather agency tweeted: "A cold and crisp start on Thursday morning.
"However, there will be showers in the east and west with a chilly wind."
- Joseph Gamp
Weather outlook for Friday – Sunday
Rain will clear on Friday, severe-gales and wintry-showers following by Saturday.
Snow possible almost anywhere, but only settling on hills.
Frosty nights. Fine start Sunday, wet later in the west.
- Joseph Gamp
Colder weather has moved in from Iceland
The colder weather has arrived from Iceland and is set to dominate into early December, although experts are warning of a wetter than normal winter.
Forecasters at WX Charts say people living as far south at the West Midlands may be hit by up to six centimetres and The Weather Outlook has said there could be up to 20 inches of snow
There’s a 70 per cent chance of powder in Birmingham by the weekend.
- Joseph Gamp
Met Office outlook for Thursday – Saturday
The Met Office has released a weather summary for the end of this week.
Fine for many on Thursday then turning very unsettled from the north Friday and Saturday with rain.
Some hill snow accompanied by very strong winds, gales or severe gales possible.
- Joseph Gamp
Calais Port chief speaks after migrant deaths in English Channel
People who put migrants on boats to the UK in rough weather conditions are murderers, the head of Calais port has said.
Jean-Marc Puissesseau told BBC News: "I think the people who are paid by the migrants to get to your country, with such bad weather, with such rough sea, they are murderers.
"They are really murderers.
"They don't have any success trying to cross with these weather conditions. The sea is cold and the waves are big.
"They are murderers, and the poor migrants who have spent months and months to come to here, and who die so close to their dream… I don't know what to do really."
- Joseph Gamp
London forecast for tonight and Thursday morning
The Met Office says: "Cloudy this evening with some drizzle possible. A band of light rain moving southeast after midnight.
"This may clear north-western areas later, perhaps giving a touch of ground frost here. Minimum temperature 1 °C."
On Thursday morning "there will be early cloud and light rain in the southeast soon clearing."
"Otherwise, a cold and bright start with sunny spells. A little more cloud developing later in the day. Maximum temperature 7 °C."
- Joseph Gamp
Weather outlook for Friday – Sunday
Looking ahead to thw latter part of this week, there will be "rain will clear on Friday, severe-gales and wintry-showers following by Saturday", the Met Office predicts.
"Snow possible almost anywhere, but only settling on hills. Frosty nights," it added.
"Fine start Sunday, wet later in the west."
- Joseph Gamp
Met Office forecast for this evening
The Met Office has given a summary of what to expect from the weather this evening and in to early morning.
Accoeding to the weather agency, "cloud and outbreaks of rain over parts of England and Wales become confined to the far southeast of England by dawn".
It added: "Clear spells follow, but also some showers, mainly in the north where showers wintry. Windy in the far north."
- Joseph Gamp
Weather is starting to turn colder
The Met Office tweeted: "It's turning colder over the next few days.
"Very cold air will sweep south behind a cold front on Friday.
"Snow will be mostly restricted to higher ground in the north at first, but as the #freezing levels drop, some #snow may fall to lower levels in places."
- Joseph Gamp
White Christmas odds slashed by bookies
LADBROKES HAVE SLASHED ODDS on the UK waking up to a White Christmas.
With the white stuff set to fall in London this weekend, the bookies have now cut odds from 10/11 to just 4/5 on any part of the UK seeing snow on Christmas Day.
Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: "Brits look set to see snow over the next few days and there'll be plenty more of the white stuff on the way throughout December if the latest odds are anything to go by."
- Joseph Gamp
Kwasi Kwarteng on Ofgem court application
Ofgem has applied to the court to appoint energy administrators for Bulb, business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has said.
Answering an urgent question from shadow business and energy secretary Ed Miliband on the Bulb Energy administration, he told MPs: "Last week Bulb informed the Government and Ofgem that they would be leaving the market.
"Ofgem has advised that the supplier of last resort process is not viable for Bulb because of the size of its customer book. Ofgem has with my consent applied to the court to appoint energy administrators.
"If appointed by the court, the administrators will continue operating Bulb under what is called the special administration regime set out clearly in legislation. We will update the House once the court has made its determination."
- Joseph Gamp
Ofgem submits court request to appoint special administrator
Energy regulator Ofgem has submitted a court application to appoint a special administrator for Bulb, one of the UK's biggest energy suppliers.
The regulator said: "Ofgem has applied to the court to appoint a special administrator to run Bulb Energy Limited.
"Customers of Bulb do not need to worry. If a special administrator is appointed, they will see no disruption to their supply, their price plan will remain the same and any outstanding credit balances, including money owed to customers who have recently switched, will be honoured."
The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy said: "Energy regulator Ofgem, with the Government's consent, has made an application to the court. We do not comment on ongoing court proceedings.
"The Special Administration Regime is long-standing, well-established mechanism to protect energy consumers and ensure continued energy supply when a supplier fails."
- Joseph Gamp
Labour says energy supplier situation 'is a Government crisis'
Ed Miliband claimed the energy supplier situation was a Government "crisis".
He said: "We've seen a failure of policy over a decade, a failure of regulation. The Government making the cost-of-living crisis worse. Isn't the truth this Government cannot be the answer to this energy crisis because it is their crisis and it's businesses and families who are paying the price."
Responding, Mr Kwarteng said: "Just as a point of fact, the number is actually 22 companies not 18… actually that shows the incredible resilience of the systems that we have in place."
He added: "In terms of regulation Ofgem have launched a review looking at the retail market and how it operates, and that's something which I will be studying very closely and directly involved with."
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Explained: What do I do while I wait for a new supplier?
The best thing to do is to sit tight and wait for Ofgem to give you a new supplier – DO NOT try to switch as you will be worse off.
In the meantime take meter readings and wait for your new supplier to contact you in a few weeks’ time – so you know exactly what you have used ahead of getting any new bill.
You can switch when your new provider confirms your account details.
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Your booster jab explained
Boosters slash people’s Covid risk by two thirds and have set cases falling after they hit record levels in October.
Having your booster also means lowering the risk of the NHS becoming overwhelmed this winter.
Mass testing shows people given a third dose are 62 per cent less likely to get Covid than the double-jabbed.
And since the rollout kicked in last month, England’s infection rate has dropped from 1.72 per cent to 1.57 per cent.
Health officials have urged those who are eligible to get a third dose this winter to stop a third wave of the virus and making this winter as much of a misery as last year’s.
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Experts reveal how snow can ruin your property
With temperatures due to plummet and heavy snow forecast starting from next week, experts at Roofing Megastore have warned against how the snow can damage your property if it is not cleared correctly from your roof.
- Sagging ceiling boards: A ceiling sagging under the pressure of weight above is a sure sign your roof is carrying more than it can handle. Outside of heavy snow fall, this could indicate the beams are old and need replacing, or that they’re suffering from rot.
- Strange noises: If you hear strange noises coming from above, particularly creaking, this could mean that the beams and rafters in your roof space are under excessive pressure, and may be starting to get damaged. Pay close attention and look out for cracks or other obvious signs of wear.
- Cracks in the walls and roof: A roof doesn’t collapse all at once, and many of the warning signs won’t just be apparent in your roof space. If you begin to see cracks and crevices appearing in your walls, then the structure above is suffering under excess weight, and it may be time to act and remove snow from your roof.
- Roof leaks: Another clear sign that you need to take action is a leaking roof. A roof covered with too much snow will become warped and cracked, allowing snow to drift into interior components of your roof space. As the snow melts, it can leak into the spaces below.
- Doors and windows: Are your doors and windows not shutting into their frames properly, or are you perhaps struggling to open them? Whilst this is more commonly due to the cold weather, it could be a sign that the frames have become warped, excessively strained by the weight on snow on the roof above.”
Check your boiler
An estimated 100,000 homes may need vital boiler checks, repairs and maintenance over the next two weeks, British Gas has estimated.
The firm says the next few weeks will be crucial as Jack Frost comes to visit.
Joanna Flowers, a British Gas service and repair engineer, said: “The next couple of weeks could be the first test for many households’ heating systems this year.
“We know that having no heating or hot water is people’s worst winter nightmare in the home, so rather wait for the cold weather to set in before finding out something’s not working as it should be, we’re advising households to prepare now.
“Looking after your boiler is key, as well as making a few small changes around the home to ensure the rest of your heating and hot water system is working effectively and efficiently. And remember, a heating system that’s in good shape also won’t use more energy than it needs – which will help keep your bills down.”
Explained: Energy suppliers who have gone bust (continued)
- Pure Planet (October 13)
- Colorado Energy (October 13)
- Daligas (October 14)
- GOTO Energy (October 18)
- Bluegreen Energy Services Limited (November 1)
- Ampoweruk (November 2)
- Zebra Power (November 2)
- MA Energy (November 2)
- Omni Energy (November 2)
- CNG Energy (November 3)
- Social Energy Supply (November 16)
- Neon Reef (November 16)
- Bulb Energy (November 22)
Explained: Which energy suppliers have gone bust in 2021?
- Simplicity Energy (January 27)
- Green Network Energy (January 27)
- HUB Energy (August 9)
- PFP Energy (September 7)
- MoneyPlus Energy (September 7)
- Utility Point (September 14)
- People’s Energy (September 14)
- Green (September 22)
- Avro Energy (September 22)
- Igloo Energy (September 29)
- Symbio Energy (September 29)
- ENSTROGA (September 29)
Explained: Will my energy bills get even higher?
Most consumers aren't immediately affected by the collapse of their energy supplier.
But with the UK energy sector set to lose 11 more competitors this winter alone, price hikes could soon bite.
The market shock adds to the cost of living crisis already suffered by millions of Brit consumers.
Inflation affecting everyday items such as bread and petrol has had a knock-on impact in the energy sector.
Smaller firms such as Neon Reef and GOTO were unable to survive the impact of higher wholesale gas prices.
Clive Black, a retail analyst at Shore Capital, told us things are only going to get worse – and it's also having a knock-on effect on other industries.
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On the road…
Just because the weather is bad, doesn't mean your life has to stop.
Halfords Motoring Director, Richard Bruce shares his advice on how to prepare vehicles for winter weather.
Richard said: “Before starting a journey, the first check should always be your petrol levels as no one wants to be left stranded in the freezing cold! If your tank is running low, make sure you know exactly where you can fill up on the way to avoid getting stuck.
“You should also make sure to check your wipers and lights for signs of wear and tear or malfunction before you set off. Any damage to them will affect the car’s performance, and hinder the safety of anyone in the car for the duration of your journey.
“Colder weather can impact battery health, so it’s always a good idea to get yours checked when the winter months roll around. Halfords’ Free Battery Health Check will inform you of your battery’s key health indicators, including its charging and ‘cranking’ capabilities, so you can leave the check with the reassurance that yours is in good working order.
“Tyres are another part of the car that can be impacted by the cold weather, so give yours a good check to make sure they are well inflated with good tread. The minimum tread depth is 1.6mm and as well as being a safety risk you could incur a hefty fine if they don’t meet the minimum requirements.”
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How to prepare for a flood
- If you're about to be flooded: Check the National Flood Forum or speak to a Floodline adviser to find out how to stay safe during a flood.
- You can check if there’s currently a flood warning in your area.
- Contact your local council to find out where to get sandbags. You can also get them from some DIY or building supplies shops.
- If you need to travel – Check flood warnings and road travel information.
- Get advice from the National Flood Forum about how to protect your property and how much this will cost
- Make a personal flood plan for your home, business or community building
- Get insurance advice from the National Flood Forum
- Collect evidence of flood risks – such as completing a Flood Risk Report
Beware the flood…(continued)
Ministers have vowed a huge £5.1billion government investment to better protect another 336,000 properties.
Will Lang, Head of Civil Contingencies at the Met Office said: "Winters in the UK usually includes a wide variety of weather and this winter looks to be no exception.
"However, when looking at the big global drivers that impact weather in the UK there are indications this winter could be wetter than normal."
Caroline Douglass, Executive Director of Flooding at the Environment Agency, added: “Now is the time for us all to be vigilant, not complacent, about flooding."
Beware the flood…
Britain is set for more disastrous floods this winter – and two in three households at risk don't think it'll happen to them.
More than 1.5million people are unprepared for the chaos to come as expert forecasters at the Met Office predict an above average rainfall is more likely in the next three months.
A cold snap, heavy wind and extra rainfall are on the way as the Environment Agency sounds the alarm bell for the 5.2million who are at risk in England to get ready now.
And there's a 30 per cent chance this winter will be more wet than average, Met chiefs say.
Flood defences have already saved 200,000 properties from getting flooded since 2019, but every year thousands are still caught out.
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