Get ready for a HOT Christmas! UK is still battling the snow but forecasters say the last blast of Arctic air will sweep away this weekend with 13C heat on way

  • Temperatures will rise to 13C in the week up to Christmas, days after falling as low as -13C
  • Motorists still face tough conditions in Scotland and Pennines today with more snow and ice 
  • Temperatures today will still be below average for the time of year with 5C expected in London

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It's been a bitterly cold week that has brought snow, ice and -13C (9F) lows to cast a wintry landscape over Britain.

But forecasters say the blast of arctic air will sweep away this weekend with temperatures soaring to 13C (55F) in the week up to Christmas, a welcome change to the severe weather that left thousands of people without power.

Motorists however still faced difficult conditions in Scotland and across the Pennines this morning, with further snow on high ground and icy stretches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.

Four people help push a car struggling in the heavy snow in the Tameside area of Greater Manchester this morning

Four people help push a car struggling in the heavy snow in the Tameside area of Greater Manchester this morning

Motorists faced difficult conditions in Scotland and across the Pennines this morning, with snow falling in Tameside (above)

Motorists faced difficult conditions in Scotland and across the Pennines this morning, with snow falling in Tameside (above)

Further snow has fallen on high ground, including in the Tameside area (pictured), while there is ice on untreated roads

Further snow has fallen on high ground, including in the Tameside area (pictured), while there is ice on untreated roads

Seven cars collided in Leeds this morning after vehicles began skidding on black ice. A gritter can be seen in the background

Seven cars collided in Leeds this morning after vehicles began skidding on black ice. A gritter can be seen in the background

Lowson Robinson clears snow from the miniature village he has built in his garden near Alston, Cumbria

Lowson Robinson clears snow from the miniature village he has built in his garden near Alston, Cumbria

The miniature village near Alston in Cumbria is pictured today as snow sweeps across northern England again

The miniature village near Alston in Cumbria is pictured today as snow sweeps across northern England again

The Met Office has issued a yellow 'be aware' severe ice warning for all of Britain down to the Midlands until 11am, with sleet and snow expected mainly on the hills of northern England and western Scotland.

Temperatures today will still be below average for the time of year - 3C (37F) in Edinburgh, 5C (41F) in London and 6C (43F) in Cardiff - but there will be a fair bit of sunshine in eastern and central England. 

Today will bring bright spells and showers for western areas, which may have hail and be wintry over the hills – while central and eastern areas will be mostly dry with sunny periods and a chance of a shower.

Further showers for western areas will arrive tonight, some heavy and possibly thundery. It will be drier elsewhere, but with the risk of a few scattered showers, and mist patches will affect some central areas.

Forecasters say tomorrow will be sunny for most areas after cloud clears southern England in the morning. There will be isolated showers for coastal areas with some snow for northern Scotland.

Saturday will be mainly dry and sunny for much of England, although it will be cloudier over Scotland. Sunday will again by cloudy, with fog lingering in some places, and it will be dry apart from in the North and West.

Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: 'There will be wintry showers today and there will be sleet and snow, mainly on the hills of northern England and western Scotland. The west of the country will be most prone to snow.

'There will be quite strong winds in western areas and it's going to be cold today - in some places it will be 2C (36F) or 3C (37F). In many eastern areas it will be a dry, bright and sunny day.

'It will stay largely clear through Thursday evening but more showers will push in across England and Wales where we could again start to see a bit more snow even to low levels.

'It will feel colder in the winds tomorrow with an Arctic air from the North. It will be windiest in places like Scotland, Northern Ireland, west Wales and Cornwall and they will also be most prone to showers.

'But most of us will see some sunshine on Friday. It will be a cold night on Friday and it will be a cold start to the weekend and there could also be some patchy rain on Saturday.

'But then it turns milder next week and we could see temperatures rise into double figures, around 11 or 12C. There will be a north/south split in the run up to Christmas. There will be rain at times in the North but it will be drier and more settled down south.'

Christmas Day 2015 was the mildest on record with 16C (61F) recorded in Teignmouth, Devon, which beat the the previous of 15.6C (60F) also set in Devon in 1920 and in Edinburgh in 1896.  

 

'Magical' images reveal the Geminid meteor shower lighting up night skies around the world with up to 150 shooting stars every hour 

Photographers have captured stunning pictures of the 'magical' Geminid meteor shower as it reached its peak last night.

The celestial display is sometimes referred to as the 'king of meteor showers' as it is one of the best of the year, with up to 150 shooting stars streaking across the sky every hour.

Star-gazers from all over the world have captured stunning images of the dramatic natural display, with pme voew describing the event as one of the 'best life moments'.

A composite image of 18 images shows the Geminid Meteor Shower over the road towards Castle Howard in Yorkshire last night. Star-gazers from all over the world have captured the dramatic natural display on their cameras

A composite image of 18 images shows the Geminid Meteor Shower over the road towards Castle Howard in Yorkshire last night. Star-gazers from all over the world have captured the dramatic natural display on their cameras

Stephen Cheatley caught a very bright Geminid meteor on camera in a dramatic display over Blackpool Tower in Lancashire last night. 

THE GEMINIDS

The Geminid meteor shower is sometimes referred to as the King of Meteor Showers as it is one of the best of the year, with up to 150 shooting stars streaking across the sky every hour.

The debris burns up when it enters the Earth's atmosphere, giving the appearance of a 'shooting star.' 

The shower happens when the Earth crosses paths with a trail of rocky debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon.

Tonight there will still be around 15 to 30 an hour, and by Friday just the odd one or two, writes Space.com

They are bright and have a yellowish hue, making them distinct and easy to spot. 

Geminid meteors travel fairly slowly, at around 22 miles (35 km) per second.  

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Mr Cheatley said: 'I nearly didn't bother trying to capture any meteors last night with the wild weather, but I did make the effort when it cleared to go to Blackpool Tower.

'I was very pleased to capture this one, which I have confirmed as a definite Geminid as it comes from the radiant.' 

Photographer Alec Jones also witnessed the display over Souter Lighthouse in Sunderland at around 02:00 this morning.

The much-awaited Geminid shower produces shooting stars that are bright and easy to spot from all over the world. 

The shower happens when the Earth crosses paths with a trail of rocky debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon.

The debris burns up when it enters the Earth's atmosphere, giving the appearance of a 'shooting star.' 

Twitter user MRinconPhoto, who is a freelance sports photographer, tweeted an image of a shooting star and said 'A little Geminids action near Orion'.

Another user, linsofmoss, described the display as 'magical'.

'I stepped out to watch a bit of the geminid meteor shower. One of the neighbourhood cats came to keep me company. It was a magical night', she tweeted.

'Backyard...wrapped in blankets...watching the Geminid meteor shower...best life moments', tweeted another user, anna0471, who is based in California. 

Pictured is a photo taken from the Carlisle Memorial Column on the Castle Howard estate in Yorkshire. The celestial display is sometimes referred to as the King of Meteor Showers as it is one of the best of the year, with up to 150 shooting stars streaking across the sky every hour

Pictured is a photo taken from the Carlisle Memorial Column on the Castle Howard estate in Yorkshire. The celestial display is sometimes referred to as the King of Meteor Showers as it is one of the best of the year, with up to 150 shooting stars streaking across the sky every hour

The much-awaited Geminid shower produces shooting stars that are bright and easy to spot from all over the world. A composite image of 48 images shows the shower over the Obelisk at Castle Howard, Yorkshire

The much-awaited Geminid shower produces shooting stars that are bright and easy to spot from all over the world. A composite image of 48 images shows the shower over the Obelisk at Castle Howard, Yorkshire

https://twitter.com/MRinconPhoto/status/941214896674414592

However, not everyone could enjoy the display.  

UK-based novelist Frances Parker-Smith tweeted: 'Didn't manage to see an geminid meteors last night/ early morning. We had rain/sleet/snow showers.'  

Geminids appear as a streak of light against the dark sky and in recent years there have been around 60 to 120 meteors per hour.

This picture shows the Geminid meteor shower over Souter Lighthouse in Sunderland in the early hours of Thursday December 14th. The Geminid shower produces shooting stars that are bright and easy to spot from all over the world

This picture shows the Geminid meteor shower over Souter Lighthouse in Sunderland in the early hours of Thursday December 14th. The Geminid shower produces shooting stars that are bright and easy to spot from all over the world

The vast majority are only slightly bigger than grains of sand, but they create brilliant streaks of light as they slam into the planet's atmosphere.  

Tonight there will still be around 15 to 30 an hour, and by Friday just the odd one or two, writes Space.com

They are bright and have a yellowish hue, making them distinct and easy to spot. 

Geminid meteors travel fairly slowly, at around 22 miles (35 km) per second.   

Stephen Cheatley caught a very bright Geminid meteor on camera in a dramatic display over Blackpool Tower in Lancashire last night (pictured). Mr Cheatley said: 'I nearly didn't bother trying to capture any meteors last night with the wild weather, but I did make the effort when it cleared to go to Blackpool Tower'

Stephen Cheatley caught a very bright Geminid meteor on camera in a dramatic display over Blackpool Tower in Lancashire last night (pictured). Mr Cheatley said: 'I nearly didn't bother trying to capture any meteors last night with the wild weather, but I did make the effort when it cleared to go to Blackpool Tower'

As an added bonus this year, astronomers will have a chance to study Phaethon up close on 17th December, when it passes nearest to Earth since its discovery in 1983. 

The vast space rock 3200 Phaethon, described by Nasa as 'potentially hazardous', will pass 6.4 million miles (10.3m km) from Earth - which is extremely close in space terms. 

The huge object is named after the Greek demi-god Phaethon, who according to legend almost destroyed Earth.

3200 Phaethon has puzzled scientists because it has features of both an asteroid and a comet. 

Its unusual orbit will see it pass closer to the sun than any other named asteroid. 

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