A resident of Loughborough clears snow from the car Darren Staples/ReutersThe blizzards that hit Britain and disrupted travel today could be a prelude to a proper white Christmas, forecasters have warned. Warnings for snow, ice and wind covering most of the country were issued today, with almost a foot of snowfall in parts of the UK. The Met Office sees Christmas temperatures falling below average. “Snow is likely, especially in more northern and central parts of the UK.”Speckled-face sheep tough it out yesterday on a hillside in Knighton, Powys STEVEN MAY/ALAMYThe Met Office definition of a white Christmas — “one snowflake on December 25 somewhere in the UK” — has happened 38 times in the past 54 years but “proper” white Christmases, with blankets of snow over large areas, only occurred four times in 51 years. The Met Office has issued an amber “be prepared” warning for…

Source: The Times December 10, 2017 00:22 UTC