(Bloomberg) — The UK is bracing for snow and ice over the next few days, while Nordic countries also face freezing temperatures as European gas inventories fall at the fastest pace since 2021.
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The cold snap across the north of the region heralds a colder-than-usual January, boosting energy demand as gas storages deplete. The sub-zero temperatures also coincide with the end of the Ukraine-Russia pipeline transit deal, leaving the region without a key source of gas supply.
Yellow warnings for snow and ice are in place in the UK for the next five days, following in the wake of stormy conditions, according to the Met Office. The UK Health Security Agency also issued an amber alert until Jan. 8, with the highest risks from low temperatures expected in the north of England.
“At this stage there is a fair amount of uncertainty over exactly which areas will see disruptive snow, with parts of Wales, northern England and the Midlands most likely to see some impacts,” said Dan Holley, deputy chief forecaster for the Met Office.
The winter storm that passed over the UK is now hitting Norway and Sweden. Temperatures in Oslo could drop to as low as -15C (5F) by Sunday, according to forecaster Maxar Technologies Inc.
Ski resorts around Mont Blanc, such as Chamonix in France and Courmayeur in Italy, are expecting more than a meter of snow over the coming week.
–With assistance from Priscila Azevedo Rocha.
(Updates with UK health alert in third paragraph)
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