As the country was plunged into one of its worst winters for decades, the Met Office issued an emergency weather warning for all counties of the UK.

自英國遭遇十年來最惡劣氣候的冬季以來，氣象部門向不列顛全國各郡發(fā)出緊急氣象預警。


Forecasters predicted that more than one foot of snow could fall in less than 24 hours in most southern areas leading to widespread chaos and disruption for millions.

氣象預報估計在未來24小時內，英國南部大部分地區(qū)將會有超過一英尺（約30厘米）的降雪，恐會給超過一百萬人造成不便和慌亂。


The Met Office claimed the amount of snow forecast could be the biggest single fall since the notorious winter of 1962-63, when some areas of the country were blighted by snow and ice for more than three months.

氣象部門稱今年的降雪是自1962-1963年的大雪后最為惡劣的一次。某些地區(qū)將會超過3個月被大雪覆蓋。


The spokesman said: "This kind of warning is very rare. It's the level of alert we put out for the floods in the Summer of 2007."

發(fā)言人稱：“此類預警很不尋常。這等于07年夏天洪水時我們發(fā)布的警告級別?！?/div>


More than 1,000 schools were closed across Scotland, the north of England and Wales.

在蘇格蘭、英格蘭北部和威爾士地區(qū)有超過1000所學校停課。


Elsewhere supermarkets reported a surge in panic-buying as shoppers tied to stockpile food supplies.

其他地區(qū)的超市里，群眾為了搶購儲存食物一團慌亂。