Met Office Warns Of 'Another Cold Night'; Weakest Polar Vortex For 40-Years And The Potential For A Brutal Winter; + X9.1: Strongest Solar Flare Of Cycle 25

This stratospheric weakness is expected to persist, increasing the likelihood of severe winters in North America and Europe.

Met Office Warns Of 'Another Cold Night'

The UK Met Office has warned of another unusually cold night after temperatures dropped below zero on Wednesday.

Frost has been the theme for many, as overnight temperatures dipped as low as -4.1C (24.6F) in Braemar, Scotland — one of the coldest early-October temperatures on record, one rivaling the all-time record holders from 1888 and 1928:

UK's coldest-ever temperatures for Oct 2 and 3.

The frost wasn't just confined to Scotland, with Shap in Cumbria experiencing 0C (32F), and Bala in Wales seeing -0.1C (31.8F) — stark anomalies for the time of year.

Residents should prepare for another frosty night, so say the Met Office, who caution that some may need to scrape ice off their cars Friday morning.

Looking further out still, the theme is very much 'blue' and 'purple' for the foreseeable (GFS map below). A low -12C (10.4F) is even being spoke of, which, if it played out, would be the UK's lowest October temperature ever recorded.

GFS 2m Temperature Anomalies for Oct 12 [tropicaltidbits.com].

It's a good job the ideologues in charge of the country didn't prematurely close the last coal power plant on Monday...

Weakest Polar Vortex For 40-Years And The Potential For A Brutal Winter

An unusually weak Polar Vortex is developing in the stratosphere above the North Pole, influenced by strong pressure anomalies across the Northern Hemisphere. This rare event could have significant implications for weather patterns over North America and Europe this winter.