Christmas shoppers warned to wrap up as temperatures plunge to -6C

 

Last updated at 17:00pm on 17th December 2007 Comments (27)

Christmas shoppers are being warned to wrap up as they brave the freezing temperatures that are set to plunge to a bitterly cold -6C.

As the Russian-style winter sweeps into the UK temperatures will struggle to rise above zero during the week.

And lack of cloud cover means that night-time temperatures will sink to a shiver-inducing -5C or -6C in places.

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Icy: Winter had well and truly arrived in North Wales this morning

 

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A Met Office spokesman said: "When there is no cloud overnight then the temperature will get very low.

"People will have to wrap up warm if they're doing their Christmas shopping."

 

 

Frosty: Sadie Frost lived up to her name as she wrapped up to take a stroll on Hampstead Heath in sub zero temperatures

 

But despite the icy chill in the air, surfers in Cornwall were plunging into the freezing sea.

While most of Britain was wrapping up warm yesterday, hundreds of thrill-seekers turned up for the annual Gold Rush competition at Fistral Beach in Newquay.

Gambling on a white Christmas is hotting up as betting shops said today it was their best December for customers taking a punt on snow.

Gamblers will have placed over £1million of bets on the chances of a white Christmas by the time the books close on Christmas Eve, according to Ladbrokes.

But weather forecasters say they could be wasting their money.

Matt Dobson from MeteoGroupUK said: "At this stage it looks pretty unlikely that there will be snow on Christmas day - this cold spell we're experiencing at the moment is not going to last.

"Christmas day is still over a week away so it's hard to be absolutely certain, but I'd say there's about an 85 per cent chance it won't snow."

Helen Chivers from the Met Office, agreed the likelihood of snow for Christmas would be slim.

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Wrap up: Sub-zero temperatures will be around all week

 

She said: "At the moment it looks as though it's going to be turning milder and unsettled. There's a question as to when that's going to happen but it looks as though it will be wet, not snowy, for Christmas day."

But despite these warnings gamblers seem determined to take their chances.

Ladbrokes said that this year more bets have been placed on a white Christmas in London than on snow in Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff combined.

Over 75 per cent of all bets have been on snow for the capital with odds of 4/1.

Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said: "Londoners are more convinced than the rest of the country that snow's going to fall. Just the thought of it is enough to send a chill down our spines.

"I just hope it doesn't snow."

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Heavy snow: Has fallen in parts of America

 

Traditionally he said that festive bets are placed on snow on Christmas day and the Christmas number one. Now that the X Factor winner is almost guaranteed a number one hit, gamblers are taking their chances elsewhere.

But William Hill, who have set the odds of 11/2 for snow in London, said they had not had many weather bets this year.

Rupert Adams, from William Hill, said: "It's been one of the quietest years we've ever had - mainly because we haven't had any snow yet this year. Normally we'll get a little bit in November and it reminds everyone that they had better have a quick punt.

"The big boys haven't come in yet - they normally start five days before Christmas when the most accurate weather forecast is available."

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Delays: The snow caused chaos in New York

 

Meanwhile scientists fear that the extreme weather, which is thought to have been brought on by climate change, could ruin the Scottish whisky industry within 20 years.

They say that rising sea levels could swamp distilleries responsible for some of the world's most famous nips.

Dr Jim Hansom, of Glasgow University's Geographical and Earth Science department, said: "All the evidence suggests that sea levels are starting to rise.

"All the distilleries that are based on the coast including a lot of world-famous names, are potentially in danger of flooding.

"People think climate change will be good for Scotland because we'll get warmer summers but they haven't thought through all the consequences."

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Let it snow: A worker blows snow off the field during a break in play at an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns

 

Those thought to be at most risk are Bowmore, Laphroaig and Glenmorangie.

In America at least two people have died as major ice storms have swept across several states in New England and the Great Lakes.

And the chaos continues as 16 inches of snow has fallen across the Canadian border of Toronto.

The cold weather and icy roads have made it difficult for blood donors to get to the American Red Cross, causing the organisation to lose hundreds of blood donations.

And airports across Canada and the US were forced to cancel hundreds of flights.

More than 200 flights were cancelled and many more delayed at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport alone.

Parts of New York State received around 30cm (12 in) of snow, while 25cm (10 in) fell across Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

-6C???

 

Let me be the first (probably not the last) to say you guys are a bunch of WIMPS!!! It was -24C here the other night!!

 

(We are talking Celcius here, right?)

I didn't say I found it too cold personally!:P

I'm not picking on you personally, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a few Canadians and Americans taking the piss on this thread.:lol:

I'm not picking on you personally, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a few Canadians and Americans taking the piss on this thread.:lol:

 

Please be my guest. This is a discussion forum, after all!!:D

Indeed it is. So here's my tale of woes from yesterday's paper. (For those non-cannucks reading, Highway 401 is the major highway in the province of Ontario.) I'm not saying we had it worse, except in the temperature department, just getting my winter whining out of my system,lol.

 

Storm to get worse: Environment Canada

Roads "treacherous" as snow and ice begin to fall

Posted By The Whig-Standard

Posted 1 day ago

 

A massive winter storm rolled into Kingston and the surrounding areas this morning, causing numerous accidents on city streets and provincial highways.

 

And Environment Canada is saying the worst is yet to come.

 

"A massive winter storm has begun over southern Ontario and the stage is set for this dangerous storm to kick into high gear over the entire forecast district today with near record snowfall amounts," the national forecasting agency said on its website this morning.

 

Environment Canada is predicting there may be up to 40 centimetres or more of snow dumped on Kingston and the region. Winds up to 80 kph are expected to whip up the freshly fallen snow and cause near white out conditions.

 

Already, visibility is close to nil. Ontario Provincial Police and Kingston Police are urging residents to not drive unless it's absolutely needed.

 

"The roads are terrible," said provincial Constable Kevin Davidson. "It's very, very treacherous, very slippery."

 

Provincial police report that since about 5 a.m. this morning, the stretch of Highway 401 from Belleville to Cornwall has seen 47 accidents including some involving tractor trailers.

 

Kingston Police report the weather caused a vehicle to end up in a ditch north of the 401 along Hwy. 38. The storm is also to blame for a car sliding into a pole on Victoria Street around 5 a.m. this morning. That accident has been cleared up.

*looks out window......partly cloudy and 60F

:rolleyes:

*Looks out window at the snow*

-6C???

 

Let me be the first (probably not the last) to say you guys are a bunch of WIMPS!!! It was -24C here the other night!!

 

(We are talking Celcius here, right?)

 

i know, british people are crazy when it comes to weather.

 

i remember last year when everyone went on about the hottest summer since i don't know when and people at my workplace even thought it was impossible to work because of the heat. it wasn't any warmer than on a normal summer day in switzerland or germany.

^THat must have been fairly early in the summer. When I was there in late August, it was cold and rainy. (There were a few really beautiful days, but nothing I would consider hot.)

 

And even though I was making fun, -6 would feel pretty cold with the dampness there.

it was only sunny for about two weeks in july as far as i can remember.

Are we talking about '07 or '06? I remember a few sunny days in August, and I was pretty close to you. But mostly it rained...and rained...and rained! (It really did look like England looks in the movies,lol):)

2006.

Ah. YEah, there were definitely a couple of sunny days in late August. I remember because I took my guitar and went out busking. Usually it was sunny patches between the rain clouds though,lol. I can't remember one night in the 3 weeks I was there that I didn't gt rained on walking to the pub at night. I actually got there without an umbrella and got laughed at by my new friends...I deserved it though.:lol:

 

ANyway, I'm rambling and going way off topic,lol. Good memorites.:)

The problem of living in Britain is that we don't really have a climate as such, the weather is unpredictable.

We have a saying here: "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes."

 

I think it applies to the UK too.:)

We have a saying here: "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes."

 

I think it applies to the UK too.:)

 

Except in the UK there's another saying: "If you don't like the weather, blame Michael Fish.":P

We have a saying here: "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes."

 

I think it applies to the UK too.:)

 

it definitely applies to manchester