It’s a textbook ‘beast from the east’ pattern with our entire Northern Hemisphere atmosphere reversed following the major mid February SSW.

https://twitter.com/MarkVogan/status/968432861643792384

Winds are blowing westwards from Siberia across Europe and will reach North America by late week. Pressure within the Scandinavia high pressure wheel has reached 1055mb and is likely still strengthening. Low pressure over the Mediterranean and off Portugal vs the powerful Scandinavia high has opened up Siberia to Europe.

As you can see, the bulk of mainland Europe is firmly below freezing this morning.

Factoring in a brisk uninterrupted easterly flow straight from the depths of Siberia, it’s pretty much a solid wall of -10C or lower wind chill from Kent to Russia.

Narrow ‘sea effect’ snow bands are streaming in off the North Sea bringing a winter wonderland to many parts of the eastern UK this morning from Aberdeen to Maidstone.

https://twitter.com/BBCWthrWatchers/status/968254676922757120

Heavy ‘convective’ snow streamers will continue to progress WSW over the UK throughout Tuesday, focusing on eastern and some central areas of Scotland and England.

Projected snow depths by the end of today.

However, as we progress into this evening, tonight and tomorrow, as LP off Portugal lifts northwards, so will the concentration of snow showers. Bundling of the showers will lead to a persistent band of snow focusing on eastern and central lowland Scotland tomorrow.

With significant accumulation expected, the met office has issued an AMBER be prepared warning for tomorrow.

NOT just Scotland under the snow gun tomorrow either!

Projected snow depth by the end of Wednesday.

Midday Thursday!

One of the coldest February days in years?

In the last hour, STV’s Sean Batty tweeted that tomorrow could be one of Scotland’s coldest February days in years. The combination of heavy snow, sub-freezing temps and severe wind chill will likely make for Scotland’s worst day of winter and one of the worst for the time of year since February 2010. Keep in mind it’s been as cold as -22C in March before so let’s keep perspective.

https://twitter.com/SeanBattySTV/status/968427777744613376

https://twitter.com/MarkVogan/status/968440891613511680

Then of course we have a low lifting up from the south late week which promises a major snow event with gales and white out conditions. I shall look at that in greater detail tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Tags: beast from the east, easterly, europe cold, europe deep freeze, polar vortex, siberian blast, siberian cold, SSW, sudden stratospheric warming, uk cold