The Beast from The East: Causes and Initial Impact
Ever wondered how a normal winter can suddenly turn into something extreme? The Beast from the East wasn't just any snowstorm - it transformed the UK landscape in February 2018, particularly affecting South Wales, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Somerset and Devon.
This extreme weather event began when the northern polar jet stream unexpectedly twisted on 25th February 2018. This unusual bending occurred due to sudden stratospheric warming high above the Arctic, drawing frigid air from Siberia toward Britain. Normally, westerly winds bring milder Atlantic air to the UK, but this warming event weakened this pattern, allowing easterly winds to dominate instead.
As this bitterly cold air (-50°C in origin, though warmer by the time it reached Britain) moved across the North Sea, it collected moisture that fell as heavy snow, especially along the eastern coast. Days later, on 1st March, Storm Emma moved in from the Atlantic across Cornwall, creating even more snow as it collided with the cold air sitting over the UK.
Did you know? The Beast from the East formed when a blob of extremely cold air that normally spins clockwise over the Arctic began to slow down. As it slowed, the air sank through the atmosphere, became warmer, and reversed direction - completely changing the UK's normal wind patterns!
The primary impacts were severe. Ten people lost their lives in various incidents, including a 60-year-old man who died after being pulled from a frozen lake and a child killed when a car skidded into a house in Looe due to icy roads. Beyond these tragedies, approximately 200,000 people were left without water, power outages occurred nationwide, and rural communities became isolated as snow blocked access routes.
