Weather in Portsmouth: Met Office prediction amid speculation 'Beast from the East' and snow could return

The Met Office has predicted an ‘increasing chance’ that temperatures could drop across the South beginning in early March and meteorologists have said that conditions which sent freezing easterly winds to the country five years ago could return. Snow covered Portsmouth in 2018 beginning in late February with temperatures plunging to -12°C in parts of the UK which was intensified by high wind brought by winter storm Emma.

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Experts have reported that this year’s mild winter could be interrupted by a sudden stratospheric warming event or ‘polar vortex’. This phenomenon is caused by temperatures rising high above the Earth’s surface which shifts cold polar air across Europe and was behind the original ‘Beast’ five years ago.

The Met Office’s long range forecast for March 7 to March 21 states: ‘High pressure is expected to dominate at the start of the period, with any more unsettled weather most likely across the far north and northwest. However, low pressure could develop to the south of the UK by the middle of the month, bringing more widespread changeable conditions. Temperatures expected to be generally around average to begin, with the risk of colder nights throughout the period. There is an increasing chance of some colder than average conditions developing as the month progresses, although confidence remains low.’

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‘Wintry showers’ are forecast for the rest of this week in some parts of the UK though weather will generally remain mild in the South with rain predicted tomorrow, Thursday and Friday (February 22, 23 and 24).