‘Beast from the East’ intensifies, bringing more extreme weather to Europe

Venice woke up under a blanket of snow on March 1 as the Siberian weather front reached Italy.

Image: Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty Images

The “Beast from the East” is getting worse, with Europeans experiencing more extreme winter weather on what was supposed to be the first official day of spring.

The “Beast,” resultant from intense east to west winds from Siberia, has now combined with Storm Emma, causing the UK Met Office to issue anotherred” warning for snow — the highest level — for parts of southwest England and South Wales.

It’s the second “red” warning this week but only the office’s third since the system started in 2011. Tuesday’s “amber” warning was upgraded due to widespread heavy snow and blizzard conditions caused by strong easterly winds.

On Friday morning a “yellow” alert, which is the lowest level of alert, was in place for snow for pretty much the entirety of the UK, with additional warnings for ice in southern parts of the nation, and strong winds in Northern England and Wales.

Pushing up from the south, Storm Emma was named by the Portuguese met service, and will continue to bring intense winds and heavy snow.

Many European cities, including Dublin, Rome, London, Paris, Munich, Amsterdam, Venice, Edinburgh, and Glasgow and have been experiencing extreme weather.

Just look at Dublin Airport, which tried to clear runways on Friday:

People have been tweeting from their snowy locations, posting images and video of extreme weather within the last 24 hours.

Ireland

Walkers in the snow on the Curragh in Co Kildare.

Walkers in the snow on the Curragh in Co Kildare.

Image: Niall Carson/PA Images via Getty Images

Scotland

A woman walks through heavy snow on March 1 in Edinburgh.

A woman walks through heavy snow on March 1 in Edinburgh.

Image: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images

England

A sheepdog in the Red Alert area, near Longtown, Herefordshire on March 1.

A sheepdog in the Red Alert area, near Longtown, Herefordshire on March 1.

Image: Chas Breton / Barcroft Images / Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Italy

A watertaxi is moored on the Grand Canal during a snowfall on March 1 in Venice, Italy.

A watertaxi is moored on the Grand Canal during a snowfall on March 1 in Venice, Italy.

Image: Simone Padovani/Awakening/Getty Images

Additional reporting by Andrew Freedman.

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