March, the beginning of Spring, when the cold temperatures of Winter slowly melt away, and we are left with sunny, breeze-filled days. However, this year, March has been a spectacle of extreme and fluctuating temperatures, bringing snowstorms, sunshine, and a fair few showers of rain. Snow being the most unseasonal of them all.
The unexpected weather was caused when the UK became victim to the northern polar jet stream, which changed its path, and headed straight for us. The sudden direction shift was due to a jump in temperatures over the Arctic, also known as sudden stratospheric warming. Therefore, cold air from far away was pulled towards us, bringing with it dense clouds of snow. Our fair Atlantic jet-stream gave way to the wild Siberian Tiger!
Living in London, I only experienced a snippet of the gales and snow drifts that the North of England faced, however I am well aware of the disruption and dangers caused by this beast of a storm. Television broadcasts showed us waist-high snow drifts, pregnant ewes being rescued from the icy banks, and cars left abandoned on deadly motorways, as their owners hunted for the nearest warm shelter. Overall, this storm has not been pleasant!
As the month draws to a close, meteorologists are warning that there is a possibility we could be in for a white Easter. So, heed the good advice meted out by the experts. Do not travel unless absolutely necessary, take a bottle of water, provisions and a shovel in your car. Alternatively, avoid the beast and tuck into a delicious warming Easter feast.
Lily Askham, Waldegrave School
