By Xinhua
London : Heavy winds and rains have hit northern England and claimed one life as temperatures were expected to drop further in the next couple of days, local media reported.
Strong winds have also affected southeast Britain, and the port of Dover was closed to shipping movements due to gusts of up to 96 kmph.
A truck driver died on the M6 highway in Cumbria, northern England, in one of many accidents after gusts reached up to 112 kmph.
In Scotland, gusts of up to 128 kmph caused traffic chaos. A long stretch of the motorway was shut as trucks were swept over in the wind. In west Edinburgh, a bridge was closed to northbound traffic after a truck overturned in the stormy conditions.
The cold marks a significant change after a mild January, but forecasters say it will be short-lived, with a return to milder conditions by the start of next week.