On this day in 2018: Storm Emma joins the Beast from the East

On this day five years ago Storm Emma reached the UK, joining the so-called Beast from the East in delivering snow and misery to the country.

Storm Emma was named by Portuguese meteorologists before arriving to a United Kingdom already experiencing frigid temperatures.

The system resulted in up to 50 cm of snow in some areas of the country prompting thousands of schools and workplaces to close while providing hazardous travel conditions.

In addition to the heavy snow and gusting winds we also witnessed freezing rain at that time in the south. This rare form of precipitation sees raindrops 'supercooled' as they hit the ground where they freeze on impact.

The marina in Holyhead, Wales was devastated by the conditions with at least 80 boats destroyed and the marina itself severely damaged as ships and pontoons were swept into the buildings.

Emma arrived just a week after anticyclone Hartmut, referred to colloquially as the Beast from the East. Together the systems combined for a cold spell which persisted until March 5th.

Weeks later a second minor cold spell arrived on March 17th again bringing snowfall and colder temperatures to the UK and Ireland.

Thanks to a slight difference in overall atmospheric conditions this snap was not as severe as the initial cold spell before spring finally began in earnest.

Can you still remember the impact of this cold spell five years ago? Still have pictures saved from the chilly days? Let us know your memories of those freezing weeks through picture! Simply use our uploader to submit your choices.