The chance of cold and dry weather increases with the event (Picture: PA)
A once-in-a-250-year weather event is about to hit the UK, bringing with it bitter winter temperatures.
A Sudden Stratospheric Warning (SSW) event usually strikes every two extended winters.
But this year the UK could see an ‘extremely rare’ trio of them.
Professor Adam Scaife, head of long-range forecasting at the Met Office, said: ‘Although we have not seen it before, we recently documented the chances of an unprecedented three SSW events happening in one winter.
‘Our research work, using multiple computer simulations, showed that this could occur about once in every 250 winters.’
The chance of cold and dry weather increases and 70% of SSW occurrences are linked to cold snaps.
This included the ‘Beast From the East’ snowstorm which led to the deaths of 17 people in 2018.
Professor Scaife added: ‘Although this is very rare, we also found that the chance of multiple SSW events is increased… and so the chance of multiple events this winter is raised.’
The chance of cold and dry weather increases and 70% of SSW occurrences are linked to cold snaps (Picture: PA)
The process typically takes place up to 50km above the earth’s surface, meaning we don’t notice the effect on the ground.
The Met Office explained when the SSW rises, the normal westerly airflow above the atmosphere makes the jet stream meander more.
This can lead to a large area of high pressure over the northern Atlantic.
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