Met Office responds to ‘Beast from the East’ forecast predictions

The Met Office has not officially forecast any snow for February

The Met Office has debunked claims a ‘snow bomb’ will hit the UK and send temperatures plummeting, similar to the infamous Beast from the East that gripped the country in 2018.

Forecasters have delivered medium and long-range forecasts as reports suggested a ‘polar vortex’ could trigger a deep freeze across the UK, saying any suggestion of a ‘deep freeze’ are premature.

The Met Office has not officially forecast any snowfall for February.

It says: “Changeable weather conditions are likely to bring rainfall, heavy at times, to the north and west. The south and east are expected to see some lighter rain or showers at times, interspersed with some drier and brighter periods.”

But while freezing temperatures felt this month could finally be coming to an end this week, the cold weather is now set to last longer than initially predicted.

It comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) extended its level three cold weather alert for the fourth time due to ‘overnight frosts’.

The agency originally issued the alert on 16 January but it has now been extended again until 12pm today, Saturday, 28 January.

Forecasters have also predicted ‘settled conditions’ bringing a greater risk of overnight frost and freezing fog in the middle of February.