A surge of freezing Arctic air has plunged much of the UK and northern Europe into a deep freeze, triggering a wave of weather warnings and sending heating demand soaring, Bloomberg reports.
Heavy snow, strong winds, and plummeting temperatures are disrupting travel and straining already depleted gas reserves.
The Met Office has issued warnings for significant snowfall across higher ground in Scotland and northern England, with over 4 inches of snow possible. This could severely impact transport networks. Further south, the situation is equally challenging, with Meteo France predicting up to 50 centimeters of snow above 2,000 meters in the Swiss and French Alps.
The icy conditions are placing immense pressure on energy supplies. Increased heating demand across the continent is forcing countries to draw down gas reserves faster than anticipated, raising concerns about energy security heading into winter. Stockholm is bracing for particularly frigid temperatures, with forecasts predicting lows of -9°C (16°F) on Friday and Saturday.
The extreme weather is not limited to snow. Corsica is under an orange wind alert, with gusts potentially reaching a ferocious 112 miles per hour. Sardinia and other parts of Italy are also experiencing strong winds, leading to precautionary school closures in Tuscany on Wednesday.
The impact is being felt across major European cities. London is expected to see its mean temperature plummet to a chilly 2°C on November 21st, a significant 6°C below the 30-year average. Similarly, Zurich is forecasting a mean temperature of -4°C on the same day, 7°C below the norm.
The severe weather is expected to continue throughout the week, prompting authorities to urge residents to take precautions and prepare for potential disruptions.
