Forget the 'Beast from the East' – now Storm Emma is on its way to batter Britain

First it was the Beast from the East but as of tomorrow (Thursday, March 1) there's a new weather phenomenon in town.

Storm Emma, named by the Portuguese weather service, originates from out in the Atlantic, bringing with it the risk of substantial snow, blizzards, wild gales and freezing rain.

The Met Office says there is potential for a 'spell of heavy snow', which will be accompanied by strong winds as the new storm meets the tail end of the 'Beast from the East'.

A statement from the Met Office chief forecaster said: “A weather system is expected to continue to move north through Friday and into Saturday, and has potential to produce widespread snow, accompanied by strong winds.

"As less cold air follows across the south, there is a chance of snow turning to freezing rain for a time, bringing an additional ice risk here.

“There is still uncertainty in how this system will develop but there is a small chance of the combined effects of snow, strong winds and ice leading to severe impacts.

"Temperatures will plunge to -15C (5F) in parts over the coming nights with widespread lows of between -4C and -10C and nationwide snowfall is forecast from today with many areas expecting a foot of snow by Friday."

Yellow warnings for snow and ice have been issued for Chester between 12.05am on Friday (March 2) and midday on Saturday (March 3) with the Met Office speculating that roads could become blocked by deep snow.