Bitterly cold weather forecast for New Year - mirror.co.uk

Weeks of widespread frosts are predicted as a freezing weather front from Siberia sends the mercury plunging. The big freeze is expected to last all day in many areas as temperatures barely rise above zero.

Met Office forecaster Chris Almond said: "All indications are it will last for two weeks or longer."

Meanwhile winter storms sweeping northern and eastern Spain this weekend left four people dead.

The storm brought blizzards to the Costa Brava where thousands of Britons live - many of them pensioners trying to escape from the cold back home for Christmas.

UK: County braces itself for cold start to 2009 (From This is Hampshire)

HAMPSHIRE is about to say a wintery farewell to 2008 but is bracing itself for an even colder beginning to the new year.

Now campaigners have issued a cold weather warning to the county’s pensioners with temperatures plummeting to a chill factor of minus 10 degrees centigrade.

And some weather experts are predicting that the region could even see some snow in 25mph winds.

A Met Office spokesman said: “This period is going to be bitterly cold and the wind is going to give the weather a real bite.
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Southampton Pensioners Forum secretary Don Harper said: “I worry about pensioners when temperatures drop this low as some are too worried about fuel bills to put the heating on.

“I would urge older people to put those concerns to the back of their minds and put their health first. At this time of the year you need to be selfish and think of yourselves and your well-being.”