Britain braces for snow storms

Britain was on Sunday bracing for icy temperatures and blizzard conditions as a Baltic weather system moved in from the north. Two flurries of snow are forecast, the first of which is expected over Scotland later Sunday before moving south east in time for the Monday rush hour. The second wave is due to move in from the west late on Monday, bringing with it several centimetres of snow. "We can expect icy roads in some areas overnight (Saturday), and tomorrow it will again be cold, with the first of two bands of precipitation -- an awkward mixture of snow and sleet -- arriving over Scotland and Northern Ireland," said Julian Mayes, senior forecaster with MeteoGroup, the Press Association's weather division. "This will move across Scotland, bringing quite a lot of snow north of the border in the daylight hours. "Then there will be a short break, before a second band which has come in from the north west arrives over central and eastern England, bringing several centimetres of snow to much of the country. "The snow will clear away, but it will stay cold until the end of the week, and there may be more snow showers, particularly near eastern coasts and south east England, on Tuesday and early Wednesday," he added.