Bitterly cold weather sweeping Britain may last for weeks

Telegraph
" The cause of all the misery is a disturbance that happened in early January, above the surface of the earth. The disturbance hit the fast-moving winds above the Arctic, making them suddenly reverse, so that the air at the centre of the circle collapsed, warming as it moved. The pressure from this then hit the jet stream that sits to the north of Britain and which normally shields the UK from polar weather, shifting the jet stream south. This was what allowed in wetter and cooler conditions. Much colder air was dragged in, from places in the east such as Siberia. Today, a yellow weather warning is in place for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and southern parts of Scotland, suggesting a risk of snow and ice. The forecast suggests that by Tuesday, the warning will apply to most of Scotland but nowhere else, and that it will be lifted completely the next day. However, meteorologists say the effects of sudden stratospheric warming are highly unpredictable and can last for up to six weeks."