'Beast from the East' may soon return and bring months of snowfall to the UK

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Weather experts have warned that the 'Beast from the East' may make its return to the UK sooner than we think.The major weather event which brought severe snowfall at the beginning of 2018 could hit again in mid-November, bringing months of snow lasting until early 2024.And a phenomenon known as sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) may be the cause of this, as this is known for triggering deep freezes and snowy conditions.Exacta Weather forecaster James Madden said there is a "medium-high risk for an early SSW from in and around mid-November onwards this year" - although it could take "a number of weeks" before it impacts our weather.Moreover, he said there is "an even greater risk for further SSWs to occur throughout January and February 2024 that are likely to be highly influential on our overall weather patterns in terms of snow and cold", the Star reports.

The expert noted that this doesn't mean it will be snowy throughout that entire period, but insisted at least one or two SSW events are coming up over the next few months."Warming" refers to what happens in the stratosphere, which is 50km up in the sky.

When temperatures there increase, it has an effect down here too. The Met Office explains: "Every year in winter, strong westerly winds circle around the pole high up in the stratosphere.

This is called the stratospheric polar vortex and it circulates around cold air high over the Arctic. "In some years, the winds in the polar vortex temporarily weaken, or even reverse to flow from east to west.