THE record-breaking cold March weather is set to continue through the Easter weekend, says Surrey meteorologist Ian Currie today (Wednesday).
High pressure anchored over Scandinavia will ensure that from Good Friday to Easter Monday, very chilly air will be pulled across Surrey and Sussex, keeping the temperature near freezing at night and just a few degrees above zero by day.
"This current cold spell is becoming record-breaking," said Mr Currie, who lives in Rickman Hill, Coulsdon. "It is now the coldest March since 1962 and with the chill likely to continue through Easter with some further sleet or snow showers possible, it may well eclipse the icy 1917 March, and that of 1892.
"Yet last year, March was summer-like."
This morning, there was still a light snow cover remaining on the North Downs at Caterham, Warlingham, Reigate, Kingswood, Tadworth, Banstead, Headley and Box Hill. Most of this snow fell at the weekend but because the temperature in the Surrey Hills has barely been above freezing all week it has remained unthawed. There has been little fresh snow, just a light flurry here and there, including on Tuesday morning.
One couple whose boiler broke down at Hurstlands, Oxted, have described how cold their house is.
"We've had to wear bed socks, tracksuit bottoms, three layers of clothing and woolly hats to stave off the bitter cold. At times it has been just 8 degrees inside the house," the man of the house said.
One of the coldest spots has been around Caterham on the Hill. At Kenley Aerodrome, the bitter easterly wind has been blowing at up to 25mph with the temperature barely above freezing all week.
At least there were glimpses of sunshine early today, but still the temperature during the morning rush hour was at freezing point in Reigate and Redhill.
High pressure anchored over Scandinavia will ensure that from Good Friday to Easter Monday, very chilly air will be pulled across Surrey and Sussex, keeping the temperature near freezing at night and just a few degrees above zero by day.
"This current cold spell is becoming record-breaking," said Mr Currie, who lives in Rickman Hill, Coulsdon. "It is now the coldest March since 1962 and with the chill likely to continue through Easter with some further sleet or snow showers possible, it may well eclipse the icy 1917 March, and that of 1892.
"Yet last year, March was summer-like."
This morning, there was still a light snow cover remaining on the North Downs at Caterham, Warlingham, Reigate, Kingswood, Tadworth, Banstead, Headley and Box Hill. Most of this snow fell at the weekend but because the temperature in the Surrey Hills has barely been above freezing all week it has remained unthawed. There has been little fresh snow, just a light flurry here and there, including on Tuesday morning.
One couple whose boiler broke down at Hurstlands, Oxted, have described how cold their house is.
"We've had to wear bed socks, tracksuit bottoms, three layers of clothing and woolly hats to stave off the bitter cold. At times it has been just 8 degrees inside the house," the man of the house said.
One of the coldest spots has been around Caterham on the Hill. At Kenley Aerodrome, the bitter easterly wind has been blowing at up to 25mph with the temperature barely above freezing all week.
At least there were glimpses of sunshine early today, but still the temperature during the morning rush hour was at freezing point in Reigate and Redhill.