Why the weather has turned cold again – and could stay that way through March
After the highest temperatures of the year were recorded at the weekend, chilly weather has returned to the UK – and it’s expected to stick around for the rest of the month.
Temperatures dropped back near freezing overnight on Monday, with some rural areas of the country going into minus figures, according to the Met Office.
“This week is going to be feeling a lot more like winter, all thanks to an area of high pressure dragging in a more northerly flow across the country,” Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said.
Sleet and snow could be on the cards for the north east of England, parts of Scotland and the North York Moors, she added, with temperatures across the country feeling closer to freezing due to brisk winds.
Although temperatures are not out of the ordinary for March, the UK could be about to experience a cold snap later in the month than is usual.
That’s thanks to a phenomenon known as sudden stratospheric warming (SSW).
Despite the name, it’s often responsible for colder weather events – including 2018’s Beast from the East.
The Met Office said there is more than an 80% chance of SSW happening by mid-March.
The UK will experience colder temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday
The cold front over the UK on Thursday
What is a sudden stratospheric warming?
SSW is used to describe a sudden change in temperatures in the stratosphere – the second layer of Earth’s atmosphere.
The rapid warming happens so high above the Earth that it is not felt directly on its surface. But a few weeks later, knock-on effects can be seen on the jet stream – a strong and narrow band of wind that is a key driver of weather patterns across the globe.
After sudden warming, the jet stream can “snake” more, which creates a large area of high pressure that becomes stubborn to shift.
When this happens, northern Europe, including the UK, is likely to get a long spell of dry, cold weather, whereas southern Europe will tend to be more mild, wet and windy.
In some cases, the drop in temperatures leads to snow, which is what happened in early 2018.
What is the polar vortex?
One of the defining characteristics of SSW is the reversal of winds in the stratosphere, known as the stratosphere polar vortex.
These winds circulate air high over the Arctic and any sudden temperature change can lead to their flow reversing or weakening.
When the polar vortex weakens or breaks apart, the jet stream becomes more wavy and cold air can spill into regions that usually experience milder winters, causing extreme cold events or winter storms.
The Met Office said recently the winds are currently “weakening rapidly”, a good indicator that SSW will occur.
The stratosphere polar vortex collapses roughly every couple of years in mid-winter.
How likely is an extreme weather event?
It is important to note that SSW events are not always followed by severe weather.
A Met Office spokesperson told Sky News around 70% of SSW events are followed by a change to cold conditions with easterly winds across northern Europe and the UK.
They added that there are “signs of this in the forecast, and the risk of a cold snap later in March is higher than normal”.
Sky News meteorologist Jo Robinson added it is not clear at the moment how the current SSW will affect the troposphere and in turn the weather at the surface, but said “any impacts will be in a few weeks’ time”.
She said: “The SSW event will increase the chance of high pressure and a blocked weather pattern for the latter part of March, but computer models are currently favouring something milder and more unsettled.”
She said according to current forecasts, the rest of the week looks rather cold, with overnight frosts bringing the risk of icy stretches.
Into early April, the Met Office predicts a transition to more frequent drier and more settled spells, with temperatures above average.
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Will there be a repeat of the Beast from the East?
Forecasters do not yet know if a Beast from the East weather event will be triggered by the current SSW, but it seems unlikely.
Jo Robinson said the Beast from the East of 2018 was linked with SSW, but the event can also cause record warming too – as it did in 2019.
In 2018, 17 people died in the two weeks from 22 February to 5 March due to below freezing temperatures and heavy snow that swept across the nation.
The cold snap was swiftly followed by Storm Emma and the mini Beast from the East, which brought more snow.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the ship collision in the North Sea.
Humberside Police said the 59-year-old is in custody to allow enquiries to take place, and officers are talking to those involved to find out what happened.
The force added investigators have started a criminal probe into the cause of the collision between the Stena Immaculate and Solong off the coast of East Yorkshire on Monday, and are working with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Ernst Russ, the owner of Solong, later confirmed the man detained was the ship’s captain. The shipping firm called him “the master of the ship” – which is understood to be the same as a captain.
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Sky News above North Sea ship collision
One person remains missing and is presumed dead after emergency services stopped their search on Monday evening.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is also involved in early work to determine what caused the two vessels to collide.
Read more: What we know about the collision
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Map shows moment of collision in North Sea
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson, said: “Humberside Police have taken primacy for the investigation of any potential criminal offences which arise from the collision between the two vessels.
“Extensive work has already been carried out, and we are working closely with our partners to understand what happened, and to provide support to all of those affected.
“Following enquiries undertaken by my team, we have arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision, this follows the conclusion of search operations by HM Coastguard for the missing crew member of the SOLONG.”
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North Sea: Sailor presumed dead
He added: “Our thoughts are with the family of the missing crew member, and I have appointed family liaison officers to make contact and provide support to the family.
“The man arrested remains in custody at this time whilst enquiries are under way, and we continue speaking with all those involved to establish the full circumstances of the incident.”
Ernst Russ added in a later statement that it could confirm the master of the Solong “has been detained by Humberside Police in the UK”.
“The master and our entire team are actively assisting with the investigations,” the shipping firm said.
“Out of respect for the investigation and all involved we will not comment further at this time.”
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Sky News above North Sea ship collision
HM Coastguard said in an update that the Solong is still alight
US tanker Stena Immaculate was anchored off the coast of East Yorkshire when the Solong crashed into it at around 9.45am on Monday.
Some 36 people were brought safely to the shore, but one person was reported missing from the cargo ship.
At least one tank of Jet-A1 fuel onboard the Stena Immaculate was ruptured, its operator said
At around 11.20pm, the Solong started to drift southwards away from the crash site. HM Coastguard said in an update earlier on Tuesday that the ship is still alight.
Tugboats are in the vicinity to ensure it remains away from the coast
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the container ship is expected to stay afloat, after a minister told parliament that it could sink earlier in the day.
She said she met with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s chief executive Virginia McVea, and was “pleased to have been informed that early indications suggest that both vessels are now expected to stay afloat”.
Ernst Russ also denied reports the vessel was carrying sodium cyanide and said: “There are four empty containers that have previously contained the hazardous chemical.
“These containers will continue to be monitored.”
Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel in 16 tanks, at least one of which was ruptured, its operator also said.
UK
Triple killer Kyle Clifford will serve whole-life sentence for murdering BBC commentator’s family
Triple killer Kyle Clifford has been handed a whole-life sentence for murdering his ex-girlfriend, her mother and her sister.
Warning: This article contains distressing details.
The sentence imposed by Mr Justice Bennathan means he will never be released.
The former soldier, 26, admitted murdering BBC racing commentator John Hunt’s wife Carol Hunt, 61, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
He also pleaded guilty to false imprisonment of his former partner Louise, as well as possession of the crossbow used to kill her and her sister, and the 10-inch butcher’s knife he stabbed their mother to death with.
Louise Hunt
Pic: Facebook
Clifford denied raping Louise, who had broken up with him 13 days before the four-hour attack in the Hunt family home on 9 July last year.
But he was found guilty by a jury last week after a trial at Cambridge Crown Court, which he refused to attend, prompting police and prosecutors to brand him a “coward”.
The judge paid tribute “to the astonishing dignity and courage” of the victims’ family, including John Hunt and his surviving daughter Amy, who hugged after the sentence.
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Footage shows Clifford fleeing the Hunt family home
They, along with Hannah’s partner Alex Klein, had read emotional victim impact statements in court as Mr Hunt said hell would roll out the “red carpet” for him.
He said the evidence showed Clifford “to be a jealous man, soaked in self-pity – a man who holds women in utter contempt”.
The court heard Clifford, from Enfield, north London, began planning the murders after Louise ended their 18-month relationship in a message on 26 June.
Carol Hunt pictured with her husband John Hunt.
Pic: Facebook
He tricked his way inside before stabbing her mother to death in what prosecutors said was a “brutal knife attack”, then lay in wait for an hour for Louise to enter the house.
Clifford held her for more than two hours, as he restrained her with duct tape and raped her, then shot her through the chest with a crossbow moments before her sister Hannah got home and was also killed.
He fled the scene and shot himself with the weapon as armed police descended and is now paralysed from the chest down.
The recovered crossbow.
Pic: Hertfordshire Police
The 10-inch butcher’s knife Clifford used was never found but police released an image of the packaging.
Pic: PA
The judge told Clifford, who didn’t attend his sentencing hearing, he went to the Hunt family home to launch “a murderous attack” on his ex-girlfriend’s family.
“You first killed her mother Carol, who even on that day showed you nothing but kindness in the moments before you attacked her,” he said.
“You raped and killed Louise who had been as gentle as she could in ending her relationship with you, after your arrogance and anger proved too much for her to stand.
“Then you murdered Hannah Hunt, who had done nothing to harm you save supporting her little sister.”
The jury wasn’t told Clifford had searched for Andrew Tate’s podcast less than 24 hours before the murders.
Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said “it is no coincidence” he turned to the “poster boy for misogynists – a poster boy for those who view women as possession to be controlled” the night before committing such “acts of violence against women”.
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