Met Office severe weather warning bears striking resemblance to SANTA as UK shivers with -10C freeze

As the UK prepares for a spell of extreme cold, some residents seem to be embracing the winter weather as a sign that Christmas is near.

Festive-minded Brits have likened the Met Office‘s recent severe weather warning to several holiday characters, including Santa Claus and the Grinch.

The online storm chasers claim the weather’s authority’s alert looks like Father Christmas his traditional stocking cap and a satchel full of gifts. 

Others claim the cold snap resembles Dr Seuss‘ beloved Christmas villain as he lurks around Whoville in efforts to wreck havoc on the cheerful holiday town.

Regardless of whether you think the cold snap looks like a character spreading Christmas cheer or fear, there’s one thing everyone agrees on: A brutal blast of Arctic air could whip through the country for at least a week.

Festive-minded Brits have likened the Met Office’s recent severe weather warning to several holiday characters, including Santa Claus

Others claim the cold snap resembles Dr Seuss’ beloved Christmas villain as he lurks around Whoville in efforts to wreck havoc on the cheerful holiday town

The Met Office today warned that the cold snap from Norway, dubbed the ‘Troll of Trondheim’, will see snow showers and ice form across large parts of Britain – with temperatures expected to fall to around -10C in some areas.

The icy conditions could last for at least a week, the forecaster has said. It also extended today’s yellow weather warnings into tomorrow and Friday, with ice in coastal and northern England, with both snow and ice expected in northern Scotland.

Arctic air will quickly move south tomorrow, leaving most of the country in its grip by Thursday morning.

There is also a risk of wintry snow showers extending across the north and west of England, while freezing fog is also expected to develop by the weekend.

The icy conditions could last for at least a week, the Met Office has said. Pictured: The sun rising over a foggy Worcestershire today, as seen from the Malvern Hills

Arctic air will quickly move south tomorrow, leaving most of the country in its grip by Thursday morning. Pictured: A workman is pictured clearing snow from the pavements in Tomintoul, Scotland today

Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge said: ‘We are in this pattern for seven days at least.

‘We could see it continue for a while longer, there’s uncertainty in the evolution and how long it will last.

‘However, the pattern for the next seven days is that it will remain cold and we will see double-digit minus figures overnight in areas that are prone to frosts and areas where there is lying snow.’

There was no expectation of widespread heavy snow, but wintry showers were expected during the cold spell, particularly on higher ground and by the coast, Mr Madge said.

Cold air from the north tended to contain less moisture than from the west, meaning less cloud cover and therefore lower overnight temperatures.

There is also a risk of wintry snow showers extending across the north and west of England, while freezing fog is also expected to develop by the weekend. Pictured: A car battles through snow covered streets in the village of Tomintoul in the Cairngorms today

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There was no expectation of widespread heavy snow, but wintry showers were expected during the cold spell, particularly on higher ground and by the coast. Pictured: A sprinkling of snow in Moray, Scotland this morning as temperatures fell below zero

In London, mayor Sadiq Khan agreed to sheltering homeless people in London as part of the capital’s emergency severe weather protocol, while racing was cancelled at Hexham, Northumbria – with further disruption for sports and on the public transport system expected in the coming days.

It comes as a major incident was declared in the Stannington area of Sheffield after thousands of homes were left without heating and gas for five days.

British Gas expects to receive 70,000 calls for help with heating this week alone as the blast of wintry weather lingers until the weekend.

Nationally, Age UK advised people to maintain a supply of food and medicine to reduce the number of outdoor trips and torches with spare batteries in case of a power cut.

It comes as public health chiefs today urged people to prioritise heating their living rooms during the day to survive the cold.

The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) said main rooms should be kept to at least 18C to avoid dangerous conditions amid fears cost of living pressures will stop households from turning on the central heating even with a -9C cold snap forecast.

Many have already been resorting to desperate measures to stay warm, including spending the day in only one room, only turning on the heating once a week, and covering walls with cardboard to serve as temporary insulation.