WEATHER EYE

Mystery surrounds severity of cold snap

Temperatures in Greenland have reached unusual highs for this time of year
Temperatures in Greenland have reached unusual highs for this time of year
ALISTAIR SCRUTTON/REUTERS

Temperatures are dropping and frost is returning. It is nothing like a big freeze quite yet, but something very cold is on the way. It looks likely to be the worst freeze of the winter and could knock the start of spring back well into March.

Yet, while Britain starts to feel much colder, temperatures are soaring in Greenland. Cape Morris Jesup in Greenland is the northernmost weather station in the world and it was above freezing on Tuesday when it normally would be about minus 30C. This freakish weather pattern is thanks to a huge upheaval in the stratosphere.

So far, conditions over the past few days have been calm, dry and even sunny thanks to high pressure, which is keeping wet and windy