London: Icy weather conditions will continue to grip Britain for at least another 10 days, weather forecasters said, making this season the coldest winter the country has ever gone through since the winter of 1962-63.
The sub-zero conditions have put an enormous strain on Britain’s gas supplies and raised concerns over weather-related deaths and on shortage of salt to keep roads clear
Assuring the country that gas supplies will not run out, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said agencies were working together to keep the public warm and safe. He was quoted as saying that the government is making sure that stocks of salt to grit roads and pavements get to where they're most needed.
Media reports said the Highways Agency has stopped treating motorway hard shoulders in England. More stocks of salt imported will not reach the country until January 21. Meanwhile snow continued to fall, with parts of eastern England seeing between 2cm and 5cm (0.8in-2in) of snow on Saturday.
BBC weather forecaster Alex Deakin said up to 10cm (4in) snow could fall on Saturday night, in particular south and east of London. Snow showers will move across England and Wales on Sunday, with falls of 2cm-5cm or 10cm on high ground, he added. Temperatures on Sunday should be around freezing.
