Be My Freezing Valentine - Warm Hearts And Thick Coats Required

Be My Freezing Valentine - Warm Hearts And Thick Coats Required

Large parts of the UK are facing a freezing cold Valentine's Day as snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures sweep the country.

Severe weather warnings have been issued for northern England and Scotland, where the mercury could fall as low as minus 15C (5F) in some places.

Up to 15cm (5.9in) of snow is expected on higher ground, while wintry showers have also been forecast in Exmoor and Dartmoor in the South West.

The Environment Agency has issued nine flood warnings - meaning flooding is expected and immediate action required - and 58 flood alerts across England and Wales.

The warnings come after the Thames Barrier was closed on Friday for the first time this winter when the river burst its banks at Greenwich.

The Met Office has warned that persistent rain, sleet and snow over southern parts of Scotland and northern England has brought the risk of ice forming on roads.

Forecaster Marco Petagna said: "Northern England and Scotland will see wintry showers in land which will bring sleet and snow.

"Temperatures could fall to minus 8C (17.6F) or even minus 10C (14F) across the hills in Scotland. More widely it will be just below freezing in northern England.

"Some areas could see five to 10cm of snow, possibly 15cm on higher ground in Scotland and the top of the Pennines."

Chris Hogan, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, said between one and four centimetres of snow was expected widely across northern Scotland, while Cumbria, Northumberland and Durham could see between one and three centimetres.

He added: "Temperatures could fall to minus 10C (14F) on higher ground across the Highlands. It may be minus 15C (5F) in some isolated spots, like on the tops of mountains."

The mercury may struggle to get above freezing across the Midlands, Mr Hogan said. The Met Office has predicted temperatures between 5-8C (41-46.4F) in the south of England.

The chilly weather is set to continue with most of the UK facing an average temperature of minus 4C (24.8F) on Monday night and into Tuesday, according to MeteoGroup.

The cold snap comes days after the country was hit by the strong winds of Storm Imogen. Electricity had to be restored to thousands of homes left without power by the 100mph gusts.

RSPCA inspector Mike Reid, 54, has not been found after he vanished going to the aid of around 30 gannets stranded on rocks near Penzance, Cornwall.

Meanwhile, bookmaker Coral has cut the odds on it being the wettest February on record from 4-6 to 1-2. The firm is also offering odds of 2-1 that the record wind speed of 173mph will be broken.

Coral spokesman John Hill said: "The gamble on this month being the wettest February we have ever seen in the UK has picked up pace over the last week and following another flurry of bets, the odds now suggest it is very likely that we will be in for a record month of rainfall."

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