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| Snowstorm Called ‘Beast From the East’ Sends Britons Scrambling | Snowstorm Called ‘Beast From the East’ Sends Britons Scrambling |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| LONDON — Even before the first snowflake had fallen, alarm bells were sounding across Britain. | LONDON — Even before the first snowflake had fallen, alarm bells were sounding across Britain. |
| “Beware Beast From the East: It Will Kill,” one tabloid warned. | “Beware Beast From the East: It Will Kill,” one tabloid warned. |
| “Army on standby as heavy snow to cripple Britain in –15C weather hell,” another said. | “Army on standby as heavy snow to cripple Britain in –15C weather hell,” another said. |
| Bold red signs went up in shop windows, prompting panicked Brits to empty supermarket shelves: “SNOWMAGGEDON! Stock up on essentials now.” | Bold red signs went up in shop windows, prompting panicked Brits to empty supermarket shelves: “SNOWMAGGEDON! Stock up on essentials now.” |
| They were describing a storm known as the Beast From the East, a polar vortex that brought freezing temperatures and snowstorms to parts of Europe this week, including to cities like Rome and London that rarely see snow. | |
| Some noted that as the cold descended on Europe, the Arctic was witnessing one of its warmest winters ever. Last Sunday, as the temperature in Britain fell to 23 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 5 Celsius), northern Greenland was at 43 degrees. | Some noted that as the cold descended on Europe, the Arctic was witnessing one of its warmest winters ever. Last Sunday, as the temperature in Britain fell to 23 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 5 Celsius), northern Greenland was at 43 degrees. |
| Italians and tourists marveled at the enchantment of the snow in Rome, but panic and chaos erupted across much of Britain, including in London, where two days of intermittent snowfall left the capital blanketed with snow by Wednesday morning. | Italians and tourists marveled at the enchantment of the snow in Rome, but panic and chaos erupted across much of Britain, including in London, where two days of intermittent snowfall left the capital blanketed with snow by Wednesday morning. |
| “Nothing works when it snows in England,” said Kevin Hodge, 37, a London-based accountant who had to take a cab to work Wednesday morning because of the severe delays on the subway lines. “We don’t have the right infrastructure or tools in place, so the city comes to a grinding halt, and people can’t go about their business so they start to panic.” | “Nothing works when it snows in England,” said Kevin Hodge, 37, a London-based accountant who had to take a cab to work Wednesday morning because of the severe delays on the subway lines. “We don’t have the right infrastructure or tools in place, so the city comes to a grinding halt, and people can’t go about their business so they start to panic.” |
| But while some commuters said the authorities were overreacting with dire warnings, temperatures in some areas dropped to minus 10 Celsius, making it one of the coldest days in Britain in the past three decades. | But while some commuters said the authorities were overreacting with dire warnings, temperatures in some areas dropped to minus 10 Celsius, making it one of the coldest days in Britain in the past three decades. |
| Hundreds of schools were shut down, roads were closed, and emergency officials said many drivers had to be rescued from stranded vehicles. | Hundreds of schools were shut down, roads were closed, and emergency officials said many drivers had to be rescued from stranded vehicles. |
| Railways and airports experienced severe disruptions, with British Airways canceling flights to Scotland and travelers sharing photos online of snow inside train cars. | Railways and airports experienced severe disruptions, with British Airways canceling flights to Scotland and travelers sharing photos online of snow inside train cars. |
| Wednesday morning, the Met Office issued its first red snow alert in Scotland, meaning that risk to life was likely, in the central belt of Scotland between Edinburgh and Glasgow. | Wednesday morning, the Met Office issued its first red snow alert in Scotland, meaning that risk to life was likely, in the central belt of Scotland between Edinburgh and Glasgow. |
| The less-extreme amber alert — different from the United States warning about a missing child — was in place for possible disruption of services in other parts of Scotland and England, with warnings of more than 19.6 inches of snow in parts of southwestern England. | The less-extreme amber alert — different from the United States warning about a missing child — was in place for possible disruption of services in other parts of Scotland and England, with warnings of more than 19.6 inches of snow in parts of southwestern England. |
| As a new wave of snowfall and freezing cold arrived Wednesday afternoon, Londoners rallied to provide warm food and blankets for homeless people, with volunteers scrambling to refer them to local services for temporary overnight accommodation. | As a new wave of snowfall and freezing cold arrived Wednesday afternoon, Londoners rallied to provide warm food and blankets for homeless people, with volunteers scrambling to refer them to local services for temporary overnight accommodation. |
| “For many, the snow is all fun and games,” said Alex Harper, a volunteer for the homeless charity Shelter. “But there are thousands of homeless people at real risk who could freeze to death in the night.” | “For many, the snow is all fun and games,” said Alex Harper, a volunteer for the homeless charity Shelter. “But there are thousands of homeless people at real risk who could freeze to death in the night.” |
| He added that on Tuesday night a record number of people had been referred to services in any 24-hour period, and that the numbers were expected to go up by Wednesday night. | He added that on Tuesday night a record number of people had been referred to services in any 24-hour period, and that the numbers were expected to go up by Wednesday night. |
| At least nine people have died across Europe this week because of the freezing weather conditions, prompting a Belgian mayor to detain people who refused shelter overnight, The Guardian reported. | At least nine people have died across Europe this week because of the freezing weather conditions, prompting a Belgian mayor to detain people who refused shelter overnight, The Guardian reported. |
| “These are the kinds of precautions we should be taking,” Mr. Harper added. “There’s all this panic and chaos over canceled flights and trains and changes to plans, but the homeless are at real risk — and during every cold spell they are overlooked.” | “These are the kinds of precautions we should be taking,” Mr. Harper added. “There’s all this panic and chaos over canceled flights and trains and changes to plans, but the homeless are at real risk — and during every cold spell they are overlooked.” |
| Even so, some Britons and tourists said the authorities were spreading “disproportionate hype and panic” over the weather. | Even so, some Britons and tourists said the authorities were spreading “disproportionate hype and panic” over the weather. |
| Richard Ball, a teacher who commuted an hour into central London from a town in southern England, said, “Reading the news and official statements, you would think it was doomsday.” | Richard Ball, a teacher who commuted an hour into central London from a town in southern England, said, “Reading the news and official statements, you would think it was doomsday.” |
| He pointed to a newspaper picture of a dark cloud with a headline that read, “Moment monster weather snow bomb from the East hits the capital.” | He pointed to a newspaper picture of a dark cloud with a headline that read, “Moment monster weather snow bomb from the East hits the capital.” |
| “The amount of snow we’ve seen in London is laughable,” he said. “They wouldn’t even call this snow in some parts of the world.” | “The amount of snow we’ve seen in London is laughable,” he said. “They wouldn’t even call this snow in some parts of the world.” |
| Tourists visiting Hyde Park agreed, with one boy complaining that there wasn’t even enough snow to make the first layer of a snowman. | Tourists visiting Hyde Park agreed, with one boy complaining that there wasn’t even enough snow to make the first layer of a snowman. |
| “These Brits are so dramatic,” said Nichole Lemercier, who was visiting from France. “Our hotel told us not to travel today unless it was an emergency,” she said, laughing. | “These Brits are so dramatic,” said Nichole Lemercier, who was visiting from France. “Our hotel told us not to travel today unless it was an emergency,” she said, laughing. |
| “Maybe people here are afraid of the snow,” she added. “Look, even here in the main park, there are not that many people having fun in it.” | “Maybe people here are afraid of the snow,” she added. “Look, even here in the main park, there are not that many people having fun in it.” |
| But the Met Office said more snow was expected in northern England through Thursday and Friday, with fewer showers expected in the south. | But the Met Office said more snow was expected in northern England through Thursday and Friday, with fewer showers expected in the south. |
| “Brace yourself for stronger winds and treacherous icy conditions,” it warned in a tweet. | “Brace yourself for stronger winds and treacherous icy conditions,” it warned in a tweet. |