Man Dies In Strong Winds As Wintry Blast Hits UK
Weather forecasters are warning of blizzard conditions for the first few days of the week, with snow, sleet and hail, as winter unleashes another sting in its icy tail.
Over the weekend, the country saw a mixture of snow, ice, wind and rain, with Scotland and parts of northern England worst-affected.
A number of roads in the Lake District were among those forced to close due to the number of collisions between cars struggling with the treacherous conditions.
In Scarborough, a man, who was walking with his dog and a friend, died after he was swept into the sea during gale-force winds on Sunday evening.
He was rescued by lifeboat with the help of an RAF helicopter but North Yorkshire police said "he was pronounced deceased at hospital".
His companion managed to scramble to shore and was treated for the effects of the cold and shock but has since been discharged.
Mike Puplett from Humber Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre said: "We have very high tides at the moment and when you combine this with gale-force winds you get very powerful waves."
And there is more of the same weather on the way , with the Met Office issuing a snow warning for the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland for the early part of the week.
Met Office forecaster Chris Page said the amount of snow at lower levels is expected to be low but up to 10cm is possible at altitudes above 200m in the north of England.
Mr Page said we could see wind gusts of up to 60mph, especially in coastal areas, which will add to the blizzard-like feeling.
He said: "It doesn't necessarily mean that every single place within the warning zone will see snow.
"The nature of the showers is that it's a hit-and-miss scenario."
Saturday night temperatures fell as low as -7C (19F) in the Highlands, with parts of northern England struggling to pass the freezing mark.
Further cold conditions overnight are expected to see ice causing problems for drivers as the new weeks starts.
There are also 18 flood warnings and more than 64 flood alerts across England and Wales, mostly in coastal areas.
Strong winds and higher than average tides mean there is an increased risk from large waves.
The Environment Agency has warned people to be careful walking on coastal paths and promenades.
