MONUMENTAL SOLAR SYSTEM CHANGES: For The First Time Ever, Planet Venus Will Get Daily Space Weather Reports - Courtesy Of The European Space Agency!

June 10, 2014 - PLANET VENUS -  For the first time, ESA is providing regular space-weather reports for a spacecraft orbiting another planet. 

Venus Express aerobraking

When your spacecraft is surfing deep into the atmosphere of an alien world, you need the latest information on conditions that could affect your trajectory.


If that planet is Venus, that means knowing what’s happening on our Sun in real time, because solar activity can greatly influence conditions like atmospheric density and the radiation environment at Earth’s closest neighbour.

Since May, ground controllers flying Venus Express have been receiving daily reports on solar activity issued by experts at ESA’s Space Weather Coordination Centre (SSCC), at the Space Pole in Belgium.


The centre was established by the Agency’s Space Situational Awareness (SSA) programme office, and it began delivering precursor space-weather services for terrestrial clients in last year.

Now that Venus Express has completed its eight-year scientific mission, the reports are especially important as the control team take the satellite through an extraordinary multi-week ‘aerobraking’ campaign.


“Aerobraking means lowering the spacecraft so that for part of each orbit it dips down very low and skims through the very uppermost reaches of the Venusian atmosphere,” notes Adam Williams, Deputy Spacecraft Operations Manager.

This image is part of the Venus space weather report issued 5 June 2014.  During May-August 2014,
ground controllers flying ESA's Venus Express will receive daily reports on solar activity issued by
experts at ESA’s Space Weather Coordination Centre (SSCC), at the Space Pole in Belgium. The
weather updates will deliver the best information from a variety of sources – including ESA’s
Proba-2 and solar-orbiting ESA and NASA spacecraft – to the control team as rapidly as possible.

“We know that the current state of our Sun can affect Venus’ atmosphere, which could in turn impact the planned orbit of Venus Express as it passes through the atmosphere.”

Adam says that the team do not expect to replan any of the aerobraking orbits based on ‘typical’ solar activity levels.

“The space weather reports will, however, allow us to better understand anomalous behaviour that we may subsequently observe on the spacecraft.

“And in extreme cases, we would be more ready to react to a serious situation. For example, if our startrackers were to be overloaded by radiation.”


The weather updates will deliver the best information from a variety of sources – including ESA’s Proba-2 and solar-orbiting ESA and NASA spacecraft – to the control team as rapidly as possible.

“The aim is to report on current conditions and give a short-term forecast of solar activity and radiation conditions, tailored for Venus,” says Juha-Pekka Luntama, responsible for space weather in the SSA programme office.

“We’re used to doing this for Earth-orbiting spacecraft, but it’s quite a challenge for Venus due to both its location and the complexity of that planet’s environment.

“Venus is currently 59° ahead of Earth on its orbit around the Sun, and we do not have a spacecraft between the Sun and Venus as we have for Earth.

“So, we need to adapt and extend space weather forecasts we regularly provide towards the direction of Venus.”


 WATCH:  Venus Express aerobraking.

 


The first Venus space-weather report was issued on 19 May, and included analysis and forecasts based on data not only from the fleet of solar monitors but also from a new network of Expert Service Centres on the ground operated by ESA member states in the SSA programme.

Juha-Pekka says that ESA’s network will be expanded later this year to include the Heliospheric Weather Expert Service Centre, which will provide dedicated space-weather information for missions travelling to other locations in the Solar System.

In the meantime, the SSCC will continue providing daily reports to the Venus Express team.

“We’ll also issue special bulletins during the day if there is a significant solar event that might affect the Venus space environment.

“If we’ve learned anything about forecasting space weather, it’s that there can always be surprises we were not able to predict.”

Space weather coordination centre

Today's report was issued by the team at ESA's SSA Space Weather Coordination Centre (SSCC), located at the Space Pole in Belgium. The SSCC is operated on behalf of ESA by a consortium consisting of the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, the Royal Observatory of Belgium and two industrial partners, Space Applications Services SA/NV and Spacebel SA/NV.


Here's the report!

== Space Weather bulletin for Venus Express aerobraking operations ==

Bulletin #1
prepared by SSCC and SIDC forecaster
on May 19, 2014 at 14:10 UTC.

Valid until May 21, 2014 at 14:10 UTC.

=== Past 24 hours (Earth viewpoint) ===
Solar flare activity: no C, M or X flares
10-MEV proton flux:   < 0.2 pfu
F10.7 index:          128 sfu at Earth

=== Next 48 hours (Earth viewpoint) ===
All quiet:       no
Solar flares:    quiet (less than 50 % chance of a C flare)
Solar protons:   quiet

=== Comment ===
There were no C flares nor CMEs during the past 24 hours. In the next 48 hours,
quiet conditions (without C flares) are likely. There is a slight chance for C flares
from NOAA active regions 2056 and 2066.

== Attachment ==
Top:    past solar disk image matching Venus current viewpoint annotated with current active regions
Bottom: time variation of Earth observed background irradiation [black] and uncorrected F10.7 index [blue]
with indication of current Venus shift

NOAA active regions of interest:
2056: (small) potential for C flares
2066: (small) potential for C flares

== Data & tools ==
For full data and analysis tools, please visit http://swe.ssa.esa.int/
Solar weather: http://swe.ssa.esa.int/web/guest/solar-weather
Space radiation: http://swe.ssa.esa.int/web/guest/space-radiation

We hope this response has sufficiently answered your questions. If not, please reply to this email.

SSCC Helpdesk

http://swe.ssa.esa.int/

- ESA. 

INFRASTRUCTURE & SOCIETAL COLLAPSE: Experts On Capitol Hill Warn That Our Electric Grid Is Vulnerable To An EMP Attack - Could Kill NINE IN TEN Americans!

May 11, 2014 - WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES - Experts on Capitol Hill Thursday warned that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack aimed at the nation’s electrical grid could leave the majority of Americans dead.

The hearing, “Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP): Threat to Critical Infrastructure,” before the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies explored the effects an EMP would have.

“Some would say it’s low probability, but the damage that could be caused in the event of an EMP attack, both by the sun, a solar event, or a man-made attack, would be catastrophic,” said Rep. Michael McCaul (R., Texas). “We talk a lot about a nuclear bomb in Manhattan, and cybersecurity threat to the power grid in the Northeast, and all of these things would actually probably pale in comparison to the devastation that an EMP attack could perpetrate on Americans.”

Rep. Trent Franks (R., Ariz.), who has worked to raise awareness on the issue for years, testified during the first panel that “catastrophic civilian casualties” could result unless Congress acts.

An overload of radio waves to electric systems, an EMP could result from a natural disaster, such as a solar storm, or a terrorist attack. Franks said “every single facet of modern human life” would be “crippled” by such an event.

“It strikes at my very core when I think of the men, women, and children in cities and rural towns across America with a possibility of no access to food, water, or transportation,” he said. “In a matter of weeks or months at most, a worst-case scenario could bring devastation beyond imagination.”

Franks told the Washington Free Beacon that while the nation’s critical defense assets, including nuclear defense capabilities, are currently protected against an EMP, the civilian grid is “almost entirely vulnerable.”

“The civilian grid, in my judgment, is very vulnerable,” he said. “Some of the largest transformers, the very largest ones, have an inherent resistance to all but the more intense electromagnetic pulses. But the fact is, we have enough of those mid-range transformers where a major event would be catastrophic.”

To protect the civilian grid against an EMP event, Franks has introduced H.R. 3410, the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act, which would enable the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to implement practical steps to protect the electric grid.

Dr. Michael J. Frankel, a senior scientist at Pennsylvania State University, said Franks’ bill is a “necessary first step” for the defense of the electric grid. The bill currently has 19 cosponsors.

The issue is an urgent one, said Dr. Peter Pry, a member of the Congressional EMP Commission and executive director of the Task Force on National and Homeland Security, who testified that an EMP event could wipe out 90 percent of America’s population.

“Natural EMP from a geomagnetic super-storm, like the1859 Carrington Event or 1921 Railroad Storm, and nuclear EMP attack from terrorists or rogue states, as practiced by North Korea during the nuclear crisis of 2013, are both existential threats that could kill 9 of 10 Americans through starvation, disease, and societal collapse,” he said.

Subcommittee Vice Chairman Scott Perry (R., Pa.) said that America’s adversaries may already have the ability to launch an EMP attack, which could be achieved by dropping a nuclear warhead miles above the electric grid.

“Currently the nations of Russia and China have the technology to launch an EMP attack, and we have speculated that Iran and North Korea may be developing EMP weapon technology,” Perry said. “This is why we must remain vigilant in our efforts to mitigate the effects of an EMP attack.”

Franks told the Free Beacon that Americans are unaware of the devastation that would occur if the country experienced a solar storm similar to the Carrington Event. Named after British astronomer Richard Carrington, Carrington is the biggest solar storm on record, and took place in 1859.

“If a Carrington event happened now, it’s an unthinkable, almost cataclysmic event,” Franks said. “What people don’t realize, we’re so used to things we think, ‘Oh, well power goes down for a week and it usually comes back up.’ And most of the reason it does is because of a lightning storm. Well, lightning is EMP. Lightning is E2.”

“We have put a lot of hardware-based protections against lightning over our grid installations,” he continued. “Even so, we still once in a while have some extended damage for a few days. But it almost always comes back.”

“The thing that people don’t realize is it’s the length of the blackout that begins to make it dangerous,” Franks said. “Everybody thinks, ‘Oh, well we’ll go outside and we’ll build a campfire and we’ll have a nice evening at home, we’ll break out the candles, it’ll be nice.’ A couple of days like that is okay. A week like that might be okay.”

“But you start looking at two or three months, you start looking at a very dangerous and unthinkable scenario in a society that is as dependent on electric supply as we are.” - Free Beacon.

INFRASTRUCTURE & SOCIETAL COLLAPSE: "It's Unstoppable" - Experts Warn Civilian World Not Ready For EMP-Caused Blackout!

April 28, 2014 - THE ELECTRIC GRID - In the first few minutes of an EMP, nearly half a million people would die. That’s the worst-case scenario that author William R. Forstchen estimated in 2011 would be the result of an EMP on the electric grid — whether by an act of God, or a nuclear missile detonating in Earth’s upper atmosphere.

THEY’RE TESTING: The government testing electromagnetic pulses uses a simulator
hanging over an airborne command post.

An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic energy strong enough to disable, and even destroy, nearby electronic devices.

The scenario sounds like something in a Hollywood film, but the U.S. military has been preparing its electronic systems for such an event since the Cold War. The protective measures taken to harden facilities against a nuclear attack also help in some cases to protect against EMPs.

The civilian world is another story.

States have been working to fill in the legislative and regulatory gap left by Congress, as previously reported by Watchdog.org, and private companies have been developing technologies that would protect against EMPs.

In 2011, state utilities commissioners recognized the need to invest in equipment that could help protect the power grid, but experts continue to warn that time to do so is running out.

Much focus during the past several years has been placed on society’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Sophisticated computer hackers working in secret, most likely sponsored by nation-states, can steal identities, money and even potentially hijack airplanes.

National Geographic, in the movie American Blackout, explored the catastrophic effects a cyberattack on the grid would have on society.

The movie premiered in October 2013 at the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C., accompanied by a panel of national security experts from the U.S. intelligence community.

IT’S STOPPABLE: Peter Vincent Pry says technology
exists to protect against the damage from
electromagnetic pulses.

Cyberattacks against the grid are possible. Stuxnet, the computer virus developed by the United States and Israel to sabotage Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, demonstrated that such an attack is not only possible, it can be done.

Computer viruses are software programs designed to attack specific entities. But even computers need electricity, otherwise they are little more than expensive paper weights.

Electricity is the lifeblood of the modern world. Food, transportation, medical facilities and communication systems all need it to function.

An EMP attack from a nuclear missile launched by a country like North Korea, on the other hand, would indiscriminately cripple whole regions.

Unlike nation-states, which can be deterred through diplomacy and force, however, the universe acts of its own accord.

An EMP from a super solar flare would behave similarly to one generated by a nuclear missile that detonated in Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Solar flares are explosions on the surface of the Sun; coronal mass ejections (CME), a solar flare’s accompanying EMP, can disturb the space weather around the Earth and affect communications signals traveling through the upper atmosphere.

On multiple occasions during the past 155 years, large enough CME’s have disrupted electrical systems on Earth. One of the largest recorded solar flares happened in 1859. The CME, called the Carrington Event, disrupted telegraph systems in Europe and North America, and lit up the evening sky.

A solar flare in 1989 caused a blackout in Quebec that lasted more than nine hours, and systems as far away as New Jersey were also damaged. In 2013, Space.com ranked the solar storm that caused the blackout as the fourth worst in history.

Space.com ranked a solar storm in December 2006 as the worst, and U.S. government officials reported that the event disrupted satellite communications and GPS signals for about 10 minutes and damaged the satellite that took the picture of the storm.

A joint study published in 2013 by researchers at Lloyd’s of London and Atmospheric and Environmental Research found that a similar event today would cost the world economy $2.3 trillion.

Risk of another Carrington-class solar flare is expected to peak by early 2015. In the summer of 2012, Earth narrowly missed one estimated to have been more powerful than the Carrington Event and 35 times the size of Earth. - Watchdog.

INFRASTRUCTURE & SOCIETAL COLLAPSE: Sun Unleashes Major Solar Flare - Triggers Temporary Communications Blackout!

April 25, 2014 - THE ELECTRIC GRID - The sun erupted with a massive solar flare late Thursday (April 24), triggering a temporary communications blackout on some parts of Earth.

An X1.3-class solar flare (far right) erupts from the surface of the sun on April 24, 2014 EDT (April 25 GMT).
Credit: NASA/Solar Dynamics Observatory

The powerful flare peaked at 8:27 p.m. EDT Thursday (0027 April 25 GMT), and ranked as an X1.3-class solar storm, one of the strongest types of flares the sun can experience, according to a report from the U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center. NASA's sun-watching Solar Dynamics Observatory captured video of the intense solar flare in several difference wavelengths.


WATCH: Sun unleashes major solar flare.

The solar flare erupted from an active sunspot region known as Region 2035 located on the far western side (or limb) of the sun as seen from Earth. Because of its position, the flare sparked a high-frequency radio blackout for about an hour on the daytime side of Earth, most likely over the Pacific Ocean and Eastern Pacific Rim, according to the SWPC update.

"Region 2035 is rotating out of view and won't pose any danger for much longer, but could in the immediate future," SWPC officials wrote in the update.

When aimed directly at Earth, X-class solar flares can endanger astronauts in space, as well as interfere with communications and navigation satellites in orbit. The most powerful X-class flares can also affect power grids and other infrastructure on the Earth.

X-class flares top the scale with the most energy and potential to disrupt communications on Earth.
Credit: Karl Tate, SPACE.com Contributor

Thursday's solar flare was the fourth X-class solar flare of 2014. It followed an X1.2 solar flare on Jan. 7, a monster X4.9 solar flare on Feb. 24, as well as an X1 solar flare on March 29.

While X-class flares are the most powerful eruptions on the sun, the star also experiences more moderate M-class solar flares (which can supercharge Earth's aurora displays) and weaker C-class storms. The sun is currently in an active phase of its 11-year weather cycle, and was expected to reach its peak activity in 2013.

NASA and other space and weather agencies keep watch on the sun's activity using a fleet of spacecraft, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory, NASA's twin STEREO spacecraft and other probes. - SPACE.

KNOWING: Solar Storms And Our Electrical Grid - After Several Near Misses, Experts Warn The Next Carrington Event Will Plunge Us Back Into The Dark Ages!

March 23, 2014 - THE SUN & OUR ELECTRICAL GRID - Most people have absolutely no idea that the Earth barely missed being fried by a massive EMP burst from the sun in 2012, in 2013 and just last month.  If any of those storms would have directly hit us, the result would have been catastrophic. 

Electrical transformers would have burst into flames, power grids would have gone down and much of our technology would have been fried.  In essence, life as we know it would have ceased to exist – at least for a time.  These kinds of solar storms have hit the Earth many times before, and experts tell us that it is inevitable that it will happen again.  The most famous one happened in 1859, and was known as the Carrington Event.  But other than the telegraph, humanity had very little dependence on technology at the time.  If another Carrington Event happened today, it would be a complete and utter nightmare.  A study by Lloyd’s of London has concluded that it would have taken a $2,600,000,000,000 chunk out of the global economy, and it would take up to a decade to repair the damage.  Unfortunately, scientists insist that it is going to happen at some point.  The only question is when.


WATCH:  KNOWING - The Final Scenes.

Just this week, the near miss of 2012 is suddenly making headlines all over the globe.  The following is from a recent Reuters report…

Fierce solar blasts that could have badly damaged electrical grids and disabled satellites in space narrowly missed Earth in 2012, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

The bursts would have wreaked havoc on the Earth’s magnetic field, matching the severity of the 1859 Carrington event, the largest solar magnetic storm ever reported on the planet. That blast knocked out the telegraph system across the United States, according to University of California, Berkeley research physicist Janet Luhmann.

The two bursts that the Reuters article is referring to happened very closely to one another, and the scientists that study these things say that it could have taken a decade to recover from such a catastrophe…

“Had [the latest storm] hit Earth, it probably would have been like the big one in 1859, but the effect today, with our modern technologies, would have been tremendous,” said Janet Luhmann, who is part of the STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Observatory) team and based at UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory.

Luhmann and physicist Ying Liu of China’s State Key Laboratory of Space Weather led a team in analysing the magnetic storm, which was detected by NASA’s STEREO A spacecraft and published their results in Nature Communications.

“An extreme space weather storm – a solar superstorm – is a low-probability, high-consequence event that poses severe threats to critical infrastructures of the modern society,” warned Liu.

“The cost of an extreme space weather event, if it hits Earth, could reach trillions of dollars with a potential recovery time of 4-10 years. Therefore, it is paramount to the security and economic interest of the modern society to understand solar superstorms.”

WATCH: Massive coronal mass ejection event.

But this is not the only near miss that we have had in recent years.

In fact, there was another harrowing near miss in 2013…

The earth barely missed taking a massive solar punch in the teeth two weeks ago, an “electromagnetic pulse” so big that it could have knocked out power, cars and iPhones throughout the United States.

Two EMP experts told Secrets that the EMP flashed through earth’s typical orbit around the sun about two weeks before the planet got there.

“The world escaped an EMP catastrophe,” said Henry Cooper, who led strategic arms negotiations with the Soviet Union under President Reagan, and who now heads High Frontier, a group pushing for missile defense.

“There had been a near miss about two weeks ago, a Carrington-class coronal mass ejection crossed the orbit of the Earth and basically just missed us,” said Peter Vincent Pry, who served on the Congressional EMP Threat Commission from 2001-2008.

And very few people have heard of it, but we had another one just last month…

A huge magnetic filament shot out of the sun Monday, sending shockwaves racing at 1.7 million miles per hour and a brief roar of static through shortwave radios across the planet. And with a geomagnetic storm causing Northern Lights to dance across the Canadian border and into North America, the sun is clearly acting up.

According to a report on Spaceweather.com, Monday’s massive blast shot off the sun and into space, away from our planet, so it didn’t have the same effect on radio signals, power grids and communication satellites that an Earth-facing eruption would have.

So what is going to happen when one of these things finally hits us?
Well, basically it will be a technological Armageddon.  The following is a brief excerpt from one of my previous articles…

An electromagnetic pulse can range from a minor inconvenience to a civilization-killing event.  It just depends on how powerful it is.  But in the worst case scenario, we could be facing a situation where our electrical grids have been fried, there is no heat for our homes, our computers don’t work, the Internet does not work, our cell phones do not work, there are no more banking records, nobody can use credit cards anymore, hospitals are unable to function, nobody can pump gas, and supermarkets cannot operate because there is no power and no refrigeration.  Basically, we would witness the complete and total collapse of the economy.  According to a government commission that looked into these things, approximately two-thirds of the U.S. population would die from starvation, disease and societal chaos within one year of a massive EMP attack.  It would be a disaster unlike anything we have ever seen before in U.S. history.

Without any electrical power, our society would descend into a state of chaos very rapidly.  The following is an excerpt from an article by Mac Slavo that explains some of the things that we would be likely to see in the immediate aftermath of such an event…

The first 24 – 48 hours after such an occurrence will lead to confusion among the general population as traditional news acquisition sources like television, radio and cell phone networks will be non-functional.

Within a matter of days, once people realize the power might not be coming back on and grocery store shelves start emptying, the entire system will begin to delve into chaos.

Within 30 days a mass die off will have begun as food supplies dwindle, looters and gangs turn to violent extremes, medicine can’t be restocked and water pump stations fail.

Today, our lives have been made very comfortable by technology.

But that technology could be stripped away from us in a single moment.

We should be thankful for the good things that we have, and we should not take for granted that we will always have them.

All it would take is one giant burst from the sun, and everything would change. - The Truth.

MASS UFO SIGHTINGS: The Symbols of an Alien Sky, Man-Made or Natural Phenomena - The Latest UFO Sightings And Aerial Anomalies Around the World?

January 06, 2013 - WORLDWIDE UFOs - Here are several of the latest unidentified flying objects (UFOs) seen recently across the globe.

Texas, United States - 30th of December, 2012.

Cardwell, Queensland, Australia - 2nd of January, 2013.

Melbourne, Australia - 4th of January, 2013.

The Sun - 5th of January, 2013.

Johannesburg, South Africa - 5th of January, 2013.

International Space Station - 1st of January, 2013.

MASS UFO SIGHTINGS: The Symbols of an Alien Sky, Man-Made or Natural Phenomena - The Latest UFO Sightings And Aerial Anomalies Around the World?

January 03, 2013 - WORLDWIDE UFOs - Here are several of the latest unidentified flying objects (UFOs) seen recently across the globe.

Russia - 26th of December, 2012.

New York City, United States - 31st of December, 2012.

New York City, United States - 1st of January, 2013.

Phoenix, Arizona, United States - 1st of January, 2013.

International Space Station - 1st of January, 2013.

King's Lynn, United Kingdom - 1st of January, 2013.

Elsinore, California, United States - 2nd of January, 2013.

The Sun - 2nd of January, 2013.

ICE AGE NOW: Coldest Weather For One Hundred Years Coming to Britain - Widespread & "Unusually Heavy Snowfall" to Bring a "Savage Freeze" in the December to January Period!

November 17, 2012 -  BRITAIN - Britain will grind to a halt within weeks as the most savage freeze for a century begins.  Temperatures will fall as low as minus 20C in rural areas, forecasters warned last night, while heavy snow and "potentially dangerous" blizzards will close roads and cripple rail networks.  James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said: "We are looking at some of the coldest and snowiest conditions in at least 100 years.

Scene from the 2004 movie "The Day After Tomorrow".

This is most likely to occur in the December to January period with the potential for widespread major snowfall across the country.  "Parts of the North, Scotland and eastern England are likely to experience a run of well below average temperatures, which will include some potentially dangerous blizzard conditions at times."  He warned the South faces a bout of "unusually heavy snowfall" in December.  Leon Brown, meteorologist for The Weather Channel, said snow could arrive as early as next weekend, with temperatures falling to minus 5C in the North.  "There is a 30 per cent risk of some snow over lower levels in Scotland on Friday."  But before the big freeze arrives the problem will be torrential rain and strong winds gusting up to 80mph. The Met Office last night issued severe weather warnings for heavy rain in parts of the North-west on Monday and Tuesday. 

Forecaster Dan Williams said: "Low pressure is going to bring rain and some strong gusts to parts of the country on Sunday night and into Monday. It is going to be a very unsettled week after that with bursts of rain and strong gusts throughout. Apart from Sunday, the weather will be very changeable so that is when to make the most of it."  Jonathan Powell, of Vantage Weather Services, warned: "The ground is already saturated from the wet summer, so flooding is a definite risk next week." He said the worst of the big freeze would hit in January and February when winter delivers a sting in the tail.  "We are looking at January and early February for winter to really bare its teeth. Extreme low temperatures in rural areas, especially in the North where minus 20C is not unlikely, with the possibility of significant snow events."  Britain's "roller coaster" November has so far seen freezing temperatures followed by almost spring-like conditions. Temperatures rose by 22C in just 24 hours as milder weather triggered heavy rain in Scotland and the North.  Temperatures topped 61F (16C) in England, while parts of Scotland enjoyed their warmest November day since 2001. Just a day earlier Aboyne in Aberdeenshire shivered in minus 6.1C. - Daily Express.

ICE AGE NOW: BIG FREEZE - Black Ice Menace Warnings in the United Kingdom, Massive Power Outages as Monster Storm Batters Europe, Beaches Huge Cargo Ship, and Blizzards Rip Through China!

Christmas shoppers are being warned of black ice making driving treacherous for the whole weekend as the big freeze takes hold.

Temperatures are forecast to remain below zero across much of the country in what is expected to be the coldest snap of the winter so far. The Met Office issued an ice warning until Monday and predicted wintry showers on what is traditionally the busiest pre-Christmas shopping day of the year. The country woke up to a frosty morning, after snow fell across large swathes of Britain yesterday, with up to three inches in some areas. The weekend is expected to be brighter but bitterly cold, with widespread frost and snow showers expected in westernmost parts of Britain, the north of Scotland and east England coasts. The North may go as low as -6c today, with -1c expected in the south of England and Wales. And in the country's first truly wintry weekend, tomorrow is expected to bring snowy showers in western areas and across the far north of Scotland. Elsewhere, it will be cold with sunny spells, but a scattering of wintry showers will move south-eastwards across the Midlands and southern England through the morning, with a possibility of a few showers clipping North Sea coasts.

Clare Allen, of Meteogroup, said: 'We've been experiencing snow mainly over higher ground, in Wales, Scotland, the Pennines, the Lake District, but it's wet and sleety snow so is not settling," she said. 'The rest of the country is expected to remain very cold with widespread frosts and everywhere below zero, apart from the South West. 'There will be some more wintry showers, mainly in the north and west, with hail, sleet and snow expected in Scotland and northern England.' The Highways Agency said it has 500 winter vehicles on standby, and enough salt to deal with severe conditions. Cumbria Police yesterday said they were called to a number of incidents on the A595 at Moota where motorists slid off the road. A spokesman said drivers should check the forecast and leave extra time for their journeys if necessary. He added: ‘They are also advised to carry warm clothing and an emergency pack, which includes food and water, boots, de-icer, a torch, and a shovel in case of snow.’ Met Office forecaster Sarah Holland said: ‘Temperatures will be below freezing in many parts, especially on Saturday night, with frosty mornings.

‘Only South-West England will be a little milder, with temperatures hovering above freezing overnight. ‘The main risk is now on the widespread ice warnings, with the chance of wintry showers adding to that risk. If people are heading out, they need to be aware of the possibility of ice and take extra care.’ There were over two inches of snow in Glasgow yesterday and half an inch fell in Essex and Buckinghamshire. There were flurries across the West Midlands, mid-Wales and Shropshire. Elsewhere there were heavy downpours as more than one-and-a-half inches of rain hit parts of the South and 70mph winds battered coastlines, whipping up huge waves. The Environment Agency had 34 flood warnings in place, mainly in the South, Midlands and North-West. In London and the South East the day started off damp and miserable but by 8am rain had already turned to a light snow, although it failed to lie in the capital. A low pressure system has helped push the white stuff towards the South East and as far as Kent mixed with high winds and gales. - Daily Mail.

A storm has battered northwestern France, leaving hundreds of thousands without power, disrupting rail traffic and grounding a ship that spilled oil off the coast of Brittany.

There were no immediate reports of serious injuries or significant damage as storm Joachim moved further inland to Switzerland and Germany. Interior Minister Claude Gueant said France had escaped largely unscathed from the storm. 'It seems there have been no victims,' he said, adding that 'a certain number' of people living in low-lying areas in Brittany had been evacuated because of the storm. Officials said 400,000 homes had lost electricity, mainly in the west of the country. By mid-day, the number of homes without electricity had fallen to 330,000 as workers scrambled to restore electricity infrastructure. The storm had been battering the area since Thursday night, with gusts of wind of up to 133 km/h and waves up to seven metres high. The storm caused a cargo ship, the TK Bremen flying the Maltese flag, to run aground and spill some oil into the sea off Brittany early on Friday, officials said.


'The level of pollution is limited,' said local maritime official Marc Gander, adding that regional authorities were deploying equipment to try and contain the slick and to empty the ship of its 180 tons of fuel and 40 tons of diesel. All 19 members of the ship's crew were evacuated by helicopter. Local prosecutors in Brest said they had opened an investigation into the spill. Train traffic was disrupted, with more than 15 trains cancelled in central France and significant delays, the French rail authority said. The storm had little effect on international flights but the strong winds did force some tourist sites to close, including the park at the Chateau de Versailles near Paris and the famed Christmas market in Strasbourg. The storm was moving its way inland on Friday, with Swiss authorities reporting it caused a train to derail in Switzerland, lightly injuring three people. 'Friday morning a train derailed in the forest near Tramelan,' in the northwest of the mountainous country, police said in a statement. - News Australia.

WATCH: Massive storm batters Europe.

Severe frost and icy patches are expected in Ireland this weekend as the current cold spell continues, with sub-zero temperatures expected at night, according to Met Eireann.

Ireland will continue to shiver over the weekend with low temperatures and wintery showers becoming more widespread. Met Eireann today issued a a warning about widespread ice on untreated roads and footpaths around the country. Freezing fog is also forecast – especially in the midlands – and AA Roadwatch today urged motorists to slow down. Parts of the country woke up to snow and heavy rain today in the latest of the bad weather in the run up to Christmas. Met Eireann said tonight would be cold with frost in many areas with icy patches. There will be wintry showers of rain, hail and sleet in most places tomorrow, some heavy and possibly thundery. Many roads will be very icy throughout the night.


Irish Water Safety warned the public about the dangers from floodwaters and the possibility of drowning accidents. Another Atlantic depression was due to approach Ireland this weekend bringing more torrential rain. But the good news from Met Eireann is that the mercury may rise slightly next week. "At the moment it looks like the early days of next week will become milder," the weather service said. Repair crews were working round-the-clock last night to tackle severe damage caused to the phone grid by the Arctic storms. The Society of St Vincent de Paul yesterday appealed to people to check on their elderly neighbours during the freezing conditions. - Independent.

WATCH: BBC Weather Forecast.

Meanwhile, a heavy blizzard stranded passengers in Xinjiang in China.

A heavy blizzard hit Maytas fetch, in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Thursday night, trapping 27 vehicles and stranding 135 passengers, the local road bureau said. The blizzard blocked the road as of 7:20 p.m., and visibility in the fetch was less than 2 meters, causing difficulty for traffic. On receiving emergency calls,the Maytas rescue base has sent snowmobiles, snowploughs and other emergency rescue vehicles for help,according to a watch-keeper at the base. After two and a half hours of rescue efforts, all the stranded passengers and vehicles are now safe. But the road section of Maytas is still closed for safety reasons. - People Daily.

EXTREME WEATHER: Forecasters Say United Kingdom Should Expect More Severe Weather - Met Office Declares That More Storms And Hurricane-Force Winds Are Coming!

The UK's unsettled weather is set to continue, with stormy conditions expected across England and Wales at the end of the week.

The Met Office said it was keeping a close eye on the situation. It said worse weather was forecast for the end of the week and that another storm system could potentially affect parts of England and Wales. Tom Tobler, of Meteogroup, said 70mph gusts had been recorded in Devon on Tuesday. Thursday and Friday would experience potentially "the strongest winds of the week". In Scotland, the transport minister warned snow and strong winds could leave commuters facing rush hour disruption on Tuesday. The Met Office issued severe weather warnings of snow for eight regions of Scotland from 3am on Tuesday for a 24-hour period. Forecasters also warned of strong winds with gusts of up to 80mph across Argyll and Bute. Winds of more than 60mph are a possibility throughout the central belt. Heavy snowfall in areas above 200 metres could lead to blizzard conditions across higher ground. The warnings come after last Thursday's storm battered Scotland, leaving thousands of homes without electricity and causing widespread school closures.

The Met Office said one of the stormiest periods in the UK for several years was set to continue with heavy rain, strong winds and snow. On Monday, it said an Atlantic storm passing over the UK was due to bring stormy conditions to the whole country, with some particularly heavy rain in parts of Wales and south-west England. There was also a chance that parts of the UK could see snow on Tuesday, which would be likely to settle on higher ground in the Midlands and northern England. Wednesday is predicted to be "bright and breezy" for most places, according to the Met Office. Chief forecaster Tim Hewson said: "There is some uncertainty in the forecast for later in the week, but there is potential for a significant storm and we are keeping a close eye on the situation as it develops. We'll be regularly updating our forecasts and warnings, so we advise everyone to stay up to date with the latest situation." One man was rescued in the early hours of Tuesday after a tree collapsed in strong winds, trapping him in his bedroom in Winchester. A Hampshire fire and rescue spokesman said: "A crew from Winchester station used a ladder to gain access and escort the occupant to safety. "They received 12 calls throughout the night reporting trees that had fallen, mainly on roads. The details were handed over to the police as no involvement by Hampshire fire and rescue was necessary." A Hampshire police spokesman said the force had received 206 calls in the past 24 hours relating to floods and fallen trees, compared with 18 in a normal day. - The Guardian.

Ulster is bracing itself for more snow storms and gale force winds on Wednesday. Winds of 70mph in Magilligan and 67mph in Castlederg were recorded yesterday while the highest wave ever measured in local waters — 20.4 metres — was recorded off the coast of Donegal. The monster 67-footer was measured at a special buoy off the Donegal coast at 2pm yesterday as a force ten storm raged across the north coast. Meteorologists at Met Eireann said data from the sea conditions about 60 miles to sea were the most severe it has encountered that distance offshore. Even stronger winds of up to 80mph were expected to hit the north coast overnight with the minimum temperature across Northern Ireland expected to be around zero. This morning the temperature is expected to be a little warmer, up to 5oC, with rain, sleet and wet snow forecast for low areas, and snow on higher ground with up to 10cm in places like the Sperrin mountains. The Met Office has issued an orange “be prepared” warning for the high winds in Northern Ireland. The weather warning is in place until this evening, but by tomorrow the weather is expected to become calmer.

The extreme weather caused disruption to travel yesterday when several sailings of the Rathlin ferry were cancelled, while Translink said that the high winds will also lead to speed restrictions on all rail services throughout the day. They have warned passengers to expect some delays. Those using these services should check before travelling today. Drivers are also warned the roads will become icy at times. A fallen tree led to the closure of the Roshure Road in Desertmartin yesterday afternoon, with police advising motorists to seek alternative routes. The Farlough Road in Portadown was also closed yesterday due to a fallen tree, police said. Meanwhile in Co Down, waves were coming over the sea wall on the Portaferry Road leading to hazardous driving conditions and poor visibility. Across the water, high winds and heavy rain battered England and Wales while parts of Scotland faced blizzard conditions as the stormy weather continued. One man had a lucky escape when a tree smashed into his bedroom while he was asleep in Winchester, Hampshire. Former ambassador Richard Wilkinson, 65, suffered only an ear injury despite the beech tree crushing his bedroom. Luckily his wife Angela, 52, was away as the tree crashed onto her side of the bed.

The south of England and South Wales bore the brunt of the wind and rain last night with up to 40mm falling in some areas in 12 hours. But an even stronger storm that was forecast for later this week is now expected to be weaker and hit France and Germany, explained Chris Burton from MeteoGroup, the Press Association’s weather arm. “It’s not unusual to get a westerly flow from the Atlantic causing stormy weather over the UK during autumn and early winter,” he said. “For the last few years it’s been different with colder weather, so it seems worse than usual, but it’s not.” Gusts of 70mph were measured in Devon, 60mph in South Wales and 64mph was recorded in Langdon Bay, Kent, Meteogroup said. Last night the focus switched to Northern Ireland and South West Scotland where gusts of 80mph were expected. The Met Office said one of the stormiest periods the UK has seen for several years was set to continue with heavy rain, strong winds and snow for parts of the country. - Newsletter.

WATCH: Dangerous weather alert for UK - Winds up to 200 knots and 230 mph recorded.

EXTREME WEATHER: ALERT - The United Kingdom's Met Office Issues a 30-Hour Severe Weather Warning for England and Wales!

Storms will batter England and Wales from tonight, with forecasters warning that we are about to endure the windiest week of the year.

The Met Office has issued a 30-hour weather warning beginning at 6pm this evening, with the high winds that hammered Scotland and the north of England last week about to be repeated further south. A band of heavy rain is also forecast to move eastwards from Wales overnight, raising the risk of flooding. The south-east and north-west of England are likely to take the brunt of the expected 70mph winds and heavy rain over the next 48 hours, but experts said stormy conditions may be seen in many places in between.

The weather warning is expected to be upgraded from a yellow or ‘be aware’ notice to amber, meaning ‘be prepared’, this morning. Met Office forecaster Alex Fox said snow or sleet could fall on higher ground as far south as Devon tomorrow. Temperatures will hover at about 5C (41F) through tomorrow and Wednesday – but many places will feel colder due to wind chill. Mr Fox said: ‘It looks like being one of, if not the, windiest week this year. ‘It is an outstanding week in terms of the strength of winds, their persistence and having forecast gales or stronger winds in inland areas, which is exceptional.’ He said winds of up to 70mph are expected on the south coast from tonight, with ‘isolated, exposed places’ possibly seeing even stronger gales. Blustery showers are expected to continue until Wednesday. After a brief respite, strong winds will whip up again on Thursday evening. Mr Fox said: ‘Thursday evening into Friday is certainly looking like a potentially extremely windy spell, with wind speeds stronger than Monday and Tuesday, at  70-80mph gusts.’

Wind speeds of up to 165mph were recorded during the worst of the storm that hit Scotland and northern England last week, bringing down trees and power lines, causing disruption to roads and closing schools. A two-year-old sleeping at her grandmother’s house in Sunderland had a lucky escape after a tree crashed into the side of the property after being uprooted by winds on Thursday. And on Saturday a dozen men aged between 18 and 20 were taken to hospital after the minibus they were travelling in careered off an icy road near Gosforth, Cumbria. A spokesman for Cumbria Police said they had been taken to the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, with some suffering from serious injuries. Thankfully none was considered life-threatening. Yet more dire weather could be a disaster for crisis-hit retailers, many of which have already launched Christmas sales early to entice shoppers. Britain’s tills normally ring up £1billion a day this week in the run-up to Christmas, but retail analysts Synovate said the number of shoppers could fall by up to 20 per cent in areas suffering from severe weather. - Daily Mail.

ICE AGE NOW: BIG FREEZE - 165mph Hurricane-Force 'Winds From Hell' Cause 300ft High Turbines to Burst Into Flames, 50,000 Homes Still Without Power in Scotland!

Britain was tonight bracing itself for snow and bitter cold after the country was battered by hurricane-force winds of up to 165mph amid fears that Storm II is set to lash the whole of the UK.

Temperatures will plunge as low as -4C in Scotland and -2C in northern England tonight - and up to two inches of snow could fall on higher ground north of the border, the Met Office said today. Blizzards, snowdrifts and black ice are expected across Scotland, the Pennines and in parts of North Wales, with frost covering much of the rest of Britain. There will be continuing wind and rain in the south but the worst of the winds will be confined to north-east Scotland and the Shetland Isles. The Met Office have confirmed that they are forecasting a second severe storm of much wider scope to hit Britain from Monday afternoon onwards and into Tuesday. Dan Williams, Met Office forecaster, said: 'After the weekend, it's looking very unsettled and wet and windy across England in particular. We have a weather warning out for Tuesday for high winds.' He was backed by Tim Ballisty, a meteorologist at weather.com, said: 'What is interesting about this next storm is that the huge weather system that slammed into Scotland on Thursday was very constrained, its damage was limited to Scotland. 'However, next week's storm looks likely to cover the whole of the UK, it is tremendously wide and has a much broader scope to it.' Bookies William Hill today shortened the odds of a white Christmas to 5-2 in Aberdeen with a 5-1 chance of snow falling in London on December 25.

This afternoon around 50,000 homes were still without power in Scotland after winds of up to 165mph battered the country yesterday. The day of high winds could cost the country's economy around £100 million, business experts have warned. Early closures, blocked roads, power outages and employees staying at home caused a drop in both revenue and productivity. Analysts from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said the lost revenue caused by winter weather could push already struggling businesses over the edge. The Scottish Government said 110 incidents occurred across the country's roads, including fallen trees and power lines, the recovery of seven HGVs, 24 cases of flooding, and landslips. The Traffic Scotland website saw a record 24 million hits over the course of yesterday. Five men who went missing while hiking in the Cairngorms were found safe and well after a major search was launched for them today. Fears had been growing for the group - all aged between 29 and 40 - who had not been seen since Wednesday. The mountains were hit by the highest wind speeds in the country.

The appalling conditions brought huge areas of the country to a standstill as lorries were blown over, roads and bridges closed, and ferries cancelled. ScottishPower said today that it had reconnected more than 18,000 customers who had lost power because of over 100 individual faults. Scottish Hydro said around 50,000 of their customers had been left without electricity. In one spectacular incident yesterday a 300ft wind turbine exploded in flames as it was buffeted by the high winds. Another wind turbine was completely blown down on Wednesday, raising questions about the ability of wind farms to cope with the weather. The flaming £2million wind turbine was in Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, Scotland. Witnesses said its blades were locked at the time, because the National Grid would be unable to cope with a sudden power surge. Photographer Stuart McMahon, who took the incredible image, said: ‘The centre of the turbine caught fire first and the flames spread to the covering of the blades. ‘There was burning debris being swept off in the wind and across the fields. These are huge structures and to see one on fire was a spectacular sight.’ The turbine knocked over by high winds near Coldingham in the Borders caused  several homes to be evacuated and a road to  be closed.

Although ScottishPower has not blamed the weather for its collapse, Lothian and Borders Police said the turbine ‘suffered brake system failure and had been freewheeling’ in 50mph winds. Charles Anglin, of RenewableUK, the trade and professional body for the UK wind and marine renewables industries, stressed that wind turbines were regularly subjected to 'some pretty tough conditions' without problem. He said: 'There's some pretty freak weather going on and any piece of large power generating equipment can be subject to freak accidents or mechanical faults. 'But there's an excellent health and safety record, and it was only a small fire in a field that was put out before the fire brigade got there, and no one was hurt. 'In stressful situations any power equipment may develop faults, and that's true of gas, nuclear, oil, and is also true of wind.'

ScottishPower, which has 15 wind farms north of the Border, said turbines were switched off at ‘most of them’. The wind turbine destroyed was not theirs. A spokesman said: ‘Individual turbines have self-protection mechanisms that are activated in sustained storm force winds to prevent damage. They re-activate when the wind speed drops.’ Scottish and Southern Energy refused to disclose how many of its turbines were affected. A spokesman for National Grid said: ‘At lunchtime, 1,500MW of electricity that was expected to be generated by wind farms in Scotland wasn’t being produced, although we can’t tell if that’s all down to the high winds or wind farms just deciding not to generate. ‘That 1,500MW is enough to supply about one million homes.’ But the spokesman said operators were not paid compensation – ‘constraint payments’ – to shut down yesterday. This happens when operators have to deactivate turbines because the Grid cannot accommodate the energy they produce. He added: ‘The company’s electricity demand forecasting team had already anticipated wind farms shutting down because of the high winds, and the company had made sure there was enough back-up power available to keep the lights on.’ Sir Bernard Ingham, secretary of the pressure group Supporters of Nuclear Energy, said it was 'ridiculous' that wind had killed off a wind turbine. He said: 'They are no good when the wind doesn't blow and they are no good when the wind does blow. What on earth is the point of them? 'They represent the most ridiculous waste of people's money.'

Sir Bernard, who was Margaret Thatcher's Downing Street press secretary, added: 'Let's go into something that works. It's called nuclear.' British coastguard teams were involved in an international rescue mission this morning after two merchant ships collided in choppy conditions. Seven people were rescued from liferafts after the collision in the Bay of Biscay. Falmouth Coastguard co-ordinated the rescue mission, 240 miles south-west of Lands End, with the Spanish, French and U.S. coastguards after the collision took place at 3.30am. It involved a small cargo ship, the Florece, registered to the Dominic Republic, and the Afrodite, a chemical tanker from the Bahamas, a coastguard spokesman said. A spokesman for the coastguard said sea conditions were 'rough but not extreme' but added that it was still unclear if the weather conditions were a factor of the crash.

Sir Bernard, who was Margaret Thatcher's Downing Street press secretary, added: 'Let's go into something that works. It's called nuclear.' British coastguard teams were involved in an international rescue mission this morning after two merchant ships collided in choppy conditions. Seven people were rescued from liferafts after the collision in the Bay of Biscay. Falmouth Coastguard co-ordinated the rescue mission, 240 miles south-west of Lands End, with the Spanish, French and U.S. coastguards after the collision took place at 3.30am. It involved a small cargo ship, the Florece, registered to the Dominic Republic, and the Afrodite, a chemical tanker from the Bahamas, a coastguard spokesman said. A spokesman for the coastguard said sea conditions were 'rough but not extreme' but added that it was still unclear if the weather conditions were a factor of the crash. - Daily Mail.

WATCH: Storm caused wind turbine fire.

WATCH: Clear-up begins after storm spreads north.

WATCH: 50,000 in Scotland still without power after storms.

ICE AGE NOW: THE BIG FREEZE RED ALERT: Met Office Issues Highest Warning for Scotland, Arctic Conditions Leave Britain Shivering as Gales and Blizzards Sweep in!

It may have left its arrival a little late, but winter has well and truly arrived and is about to make up for lost time. Arctic blizzards of up to 80mph are set to batter the country in the days ahead, with significant levels of snowfall expected causing misery to millions.

However, Britain's only polar bear, 58 stone Walker, was making the most of the conditions today at his wildlife park home in Scotland. Walker was celebrating his third birthday at the Highland Wildlife Park after snow coated his enclosure. This time last year, swathes of the country had already been covered in thick snow, causing hundreds of schools to be closed, flights delayed and widespread chaos on the roads – and forecasters are now warning of a potential repeat as conditions will only get worse as the week goes on. Also, trouble is set for Scotland with the Met Office issuing its highest red-alert warning for winds of at least 75mph tomorrow. Forecaster Jonathan Powell, from Positive Weather Solutions, said: ‘This is England’s first real blast of winter, with snow and strong winds expected to produce blizzards and hazardous driving conditions. Disruption is expected.’ A continuing drop in temperatures means up to 4in of snow could fall as far south as Birmingham tomorrow night, while high winds are expected to hit the length of the east coast. A spokesman said travel conditions will be ‘extremely poor’ tomorrow and motorists could face ‘significant delays’ between 3pm and 6pm tomorrow. Gusts are expected to reach 90mph during afternoon rush hour in the Borders, Strathclyde, Tayside, Fife, the Lothians and central and south west Scotland. Fife Police said travellers should expect the Forth and Tay road bridges to be closed to traffic. The force said high winds could further disrupt roads, with fallen trees and other debris. Forecasters said rain showers in the afternoon will turn into snow by the evening. - Daily Mail.

Residents across parts of Scotland are being warned to take action as “dangerous” stormy weather with gusts of up to 90mph will hit the country. The Met Office warned of severe weather and gale-force winds on Thursday, as overnight snow on Wednesday closed roads and affected transport to schools in Aberdeenshire as the wintry weather continues. Red warnings – the highest level of Met Office alerts – were issued for wind in the Strathclyde, central belt, Tayside, Lothians and Borders areas. Stirling Council has also taken the decision to close all primary schools, nurseries and high schools at 12.30pm on Thursday. East Renfrewshire also said its schools would close from 1pm on Thursday. North Ayrshire issued a recomendation for parents to “keep children at home” and said its schools would be closing early. North Lanarkshire said it was “likely” its schools will close early if the “red alert” remained in place. South Lanarkshire said it would make a decision on early closing mid-morning. The warnings have been described as “highly unusual” by Transport Scotland, which is urging people to pay attention to police travel warnings. Police advise that conditions for travel between 3pm and 6pm on Thursday are likely to be extremely poor and significant delays should be expected. The Scottish Government said the wind could lead to all main road bridges being closed and will have a severe impact on Thursday’s rush hour, while disruption to power supplies and property is also a strong possibility. Meanwhile, ScotRail said speed restrictions of 50mph could be put in place tomorrow on trains travelling after 10am. - STV.

WATCH: UK on alert for damaging winds.

Police have told people in Scotland not to travel, as severe winds of up to 165mph are battering the country, leaving thousands without power.

WATCH: Scotland storm blackout hitting thousands.

WATCH: 'Major problem' for commuters in Scottish storm.

WATCH: Scotland battered by worst storm for 10 years.

ICE AGE NOW: The Big Freeze - Snow as Far South as Birmingham, as the Big Freeze Moves South with Blizzards and 80mph Winds; Met Office Issues Severe Weather Warnings for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland!

The Big Freeze is set to sweep south into England tomorrow with snow expected as far down as Birmingham accompanied by icy 80mph winds.

 The Met Office said another 10cm of snow is set to fall overnight in Scotland, with widespread black ice expected to turn roads and pavements in central Scotland into dangerous skating rinks tomorrow. Forecasters issued warnings for England to be hit by snow Thursday evening and through Friday, predicting up to two inches of snow at lower levels in the Midlands and north west. Scotland will be hit by up to 30cms. At the same time, hurricane-force wind gusts up to 70mph will batter the east coast as far south as East Anglia. England's northern Midlands and north west face 60mph winds, with 80mph in Scotland - bringing blizzard conditions and drifting to those areas, which could halt transport on roads and affect train lines. Temperatures are set to rise over the next couple of days, reaching a mild 12C to 13C on Thursday, before plummeting to as low as -4C in London on Friday night.

Night-time temperatures, which dropped to -8C at Cairngorm, Scotland, early this morning, will be sub-zero across many parts of the UK by Friday night, bringing widespread ice on Saturday with more snow and sleet falling through the weekend. Met Office forecaster Dan Williams said: 'We're expecting up to 10cm of snow overnight in Scotland, more likely on higher ground, with snow and sleet at lower levels and overnight temperatures in minuses. 'There is an amber warning for central Scotland on Wednesday as we could see widespread ice, including black ice, so people should take care. 'From Thursday evening, there is a snow risk as far south as Birmingham - the furthest south snow has been forecast this winter. 'The guidance is for perhaps 20cm-30cm on hills and 5-10cm at lower levels. Snow which falls overnight is more likely to settle. 'With strong winds and possible heavy snow showers, people should be aware of very difficult weather conditions including potential blizzards and transport impacts including drifting.

'Winds will be strong through Wednesday in Scotland and on Thursday and Friday morning as far south as East Anglia, with 60-70mph gusts and 80mph in exposed areas, more likely in Scotland. 'North-westerly winds are pulling fairly cold air down from the polar regions. 'Saturday will see frost and widespread road ice on untreated roads, with wintry showers for the whole of the UK apart from the south-east. 'Sunday will be slightly milder but could still see wintry showers on ground over 400m in the north.' The freezing weather claimed two lives on the roads yesterday as two truck drivers died in separate incidents. One 43-year-old driver was killed when his 40-tonne lorry crashed on the M73, forcing police to close shut a busy stretch of the motorway at Baillieston, Glasgow. Diesel spilled across the road forcing a second lorry to jackknife. A second truck driver died in a separate incident when his vehicle skidded off a trunk road in north Lincolnshire after driving conditions turned treacherous. Humberside Police said the white Scania lorry, which was fully loaded with meat, left the westbound carriageway of the A160 in South Killingholme at about 4.14am. Another driver was suffered chest injuries in an accident on the A9 near Dalguise in Perthshire, Scotland, as temperatures plunged as low as -7.7C as up to six inches of snow fell north of the border. Police across the north of England and Scotland are warning motorists to take extra care due to sleet and snow.

As 120 gritters distributed 3,000 tonnes of salt, Scotland's Transport Minister warned of the ongoing danger facing motorists up and down the country. 'We have seen a few incidents that have caused some disruption,' he said. 'That is why the Multi Agency Response Team and SGoRR remain operational. 'Our operating companies have also worked through the night, with over 120 gritters out on the trunk roads and motorways to treat every route at least once. 'We are all working hard to keep Scotland moving and get back to normal where disruption does occur, particularly in the North West where conditions are the most difficult. 'We urge the public to continue to exercise care; plan your journey, listen to police advice and check available travel updates.'

Assistant Chief Constable Allan Moffat, of Central Scotland Police and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland), said: 'I would ask people to remember that both damp and snow-affected roads can hide the hidden danger of black ice, particularly in shaded areas. 'Our message is very much aimed at asking motorists to be aware of the dangers and travel with extra caution.' The severe conditions also forced airports to close at Inverness, Stornoway, Sumburgh and Kirkwall. It caused chaos on the roads throughout the country with road closures on the A77, the B7038 at the Kilmarnock junction and the westbound carriageway of the Clydeside Expressway in Glasgow. The weather also forced school closures in South Lanarkshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Highlands. Billy Payne, a forecaster with MeteoGroup weather service, said: 'The snow will ease off later this morning with longer spells of rain, but that will turn back into snow. 'Cold air temperatures, which will be below zero reaching around minus three and minus four degrees, means that ice is also a risk. 'There will be significant accumulations of snow over higher ground and the rest of the week will continue to be quite unsettled with wintry showers of hail, sleet and more snow.' - Daily Mail.