How does this "Omega Block" bring down temperatures below zero when polar air hits Gloucestershire?

The cold winter grip has gripped Gloucestershire, with temperatures plummeting below freezing and below the next few days.

Polar air brings frosty nights and cool mornings, with -4 ° C minimums in the county and a high of 1 ° C on Friday.

And we will not see Mercury hit the double digits for at least the next two weeks, according to the latest issue of The Weather Channel.

While the Met Office claims that cold air is coming in as part of an "Omega block", some countries around the Mediterranean could receive snow over the next few days.

How the Met Office describes an Omega block

In meteorology, the blocks are areas of high pressure that remain almost stationary and distort the usual progression of pressure systems to the east.

The blocks can stay in place for more than a week, which will result in adverse weather conditions for an extended period.

• The Omega blocks are named because of their pattern that resembles the Greek capital letter omega, Ω.
• An area of ​​high pressure will be sandwiched between two depressions to the east and west and slightly to the south.
• These blocks occur frequently on the eastern edges of the Atlantic and the eastern Pacific, and can result in eastward flows to the UK.

The lowest winter temperature was recorded in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on Wednesday night, when it dipped to -10.5 ° C.

Despite the cold, there is a bit of luck because it will remain dry, so there should not be much ice on roads and sidewalks – even if we could see frost or fog in the night .

The cold chain is caused by a well-established dominant pressure near Britain, the Weather Channel added, coupled with a depression in the more easterly surrounding that will allow cold air to plunge from the Arctic to Great Britain.

Freezing fog will gradually be limited to the south over the weekend, as thicker clouds and scattered rains move into the northern regions.

A spokesman for The Weather Channel said: "With high pressure centered on the British Isles for much of the period, mostly dry and sandy conditions are expected, sometimes brighter.

"There will be a feeling of cold when the north goes to the east side of the top. With colder temperatures at night and clear skies, there is a risk of night frosts in many areas. "