‘Beast from the East’ Snowstorm Causes Widespread Travel Disruption in Britain

A massive snowstorm, called the “Beast from the East” by some forecasters, crippled Britain on Wednesday. The storm, a polar vortex brought snow and freezing temperatures to the continent causing widespread travel disruption after two days of snow.

Scotland was particularly hard hit. The U.K. Met Office issued the country’s first red snow warning, indicating that there is a risk to life and that people should take immediate action to keep safe. Amber warnings are in effect in much of the rest of the United Kingdom.

In some areas, temperatures fell to -10° F (-23° C), making Tuesday the coldest day in the region for over three decades.

Commuters and travelers are seeing massive delays and cancellations, regardless of whether they travel by plane, train, or automobile.

“Roads will become blocked by deep snow, with many stranded vehicles and passengers,” the Met Office said in a statement.

Most schools remain closed and many roads are impassable. A number of drivers have had to be rescued from stranded vehicles on streets and motorways.

While thousands of flights have been affected since the onset of the storm, London Heathrow Airport saw the greatest impact, with over 140 cancellations and over 600 delays, roughly twice the number from Tuesday.

In England, Kent, East Anglia, and North East England have seen the greatest impact from the storm.

Several deaths have been attributed to the storm, including one man in London who died trying to save a dog from a frozen lake.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)