Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

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

09:00
2 March 2023

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

Drivers in winter storm
Drivers faced treacherous conditions near Blyth as Storm Emma arrived. - © picture alliance

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.

Privacy Policy

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.

Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
The solar eclipse arrives tonight. Great visibility for most. . . Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Split image showing an annular solar eclipse on the left and a UK and Ireland weather map on the right with mostly sunny skies, temperatures of 30–31°C in England and 27°C in Dublin.
Wednesday, 12 August 2026

Great visibility for most

The solar eclipse arrives tonight
Solar eclipse on Wednesday. Save the date. . . Monday, 10 August 2026
People are watching a solar eclipse. The sun is already partially obscured. Next to it is the weather radar forecast for Wednesday, showing an almost cloudless sky.
Monday, 10 August 2026

Save the date

Solar eclipse on Wednesday
Late season views as summer rolls on. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 9 August 2026
Split image showing a horseback ride along a green hillside trail beneath blue skies on the left and a small sailboat on a calm coastal bay under broken clouds on the right.
Sunday, 9 August 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Late season views as summer rolls on
All weather news
This might also interest you
Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands. Storm and rain. . . Friday, 12 December 2025
Weather graphic showing rain and wind fields over the Canary Islands and a central warning symbol.
Friday, 12 December 2025

Storm and rain

Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands
New records for England and Wales. Broken again tomorrow?. . . Thursday, 25 June 2026
Temperature map of southwest Britain on 25.06 showing extreme heat across southern Wales and southwest England, with Bute Park in Cardiff highlighted at 34.2°C and Yeovilton at 36.4°C amid widespread deep red heat zones.
Thursday, 25 June 2026

Broken again tomorrow?

New records for England and Wales
Bright and warm conditions take hold. Spring-like outlook. . . Thursday, 23 April 2026
Split UK map showing warm temperatures up to 21 degrees in orange on the left and clear sunny conditions with temperatures from 12 to 18 degrees on the right, with sun icons across the country.
Thursday, 23 April 2026

Spring-like outlook

Bright and warm conditions take hold
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList