Sheffield could be set for one of the coldest winters in decades - weather experts

The experts have been studying sea temperatures and air pressure over the north Atlantic Ocean and their long-term forecast suggests temperatures could plummet in January and February 2020.

A paper written by the research team, led by Mark Saunders, professor of climate prediction at UCL, stated: “This would rank 2020 January-February central England as the coldest winter since January-February 2013.

"It would also rank January-February 2020 as the seventh coldest winter in the last 30 years, and the 23rd coldest winter since 1953."

"There is a 57 per cent chance the central England temperature will be colder than the 4.1C (39.4F) in 2018, thus making it the coldest January-February since 2013.”

The scientists predict that the jet stream could move southwards at the end of this year which would allow freezing cold air to move across the UK.

This is exactly what happened in February and March 2018 when the UK was in the icy grip of the ‘Beast from the East’.

Temperatures plummeted and Sheffield was blanketed under more than seven inches of snow.