Cold Easter expected across the UK - 18 Mar 08 - Forecasters expect a cold blast to affect much of the UK during the Easter period as winds feed in colder air from the north.
Wintry showers will affect mainly northern and eastern parts by Good Friday with snow accumulations on higher ground and possibly at lower levels.
Much of Europe will also experience cold weather for the Easter period with snow showers and strong winds affecting northern and western parts. Forecasters expect significant snowfall across the Alps over the weekend. http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/news/18032008news.shtml
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Quebec closing in on snowfall record ____________________________________
19 Mar 08 - Several dozen schools were expected to remain shut this week in the Canadian province of Quebec over fears their roofs may collapse under the weight of near record amounts of snow. All told, 90,000 students have been out of school in the Montreal area since Friday. To date, some 350 cm of snow has fallen in the Montreal area, approaching a record level of 383 cm set in 1971. (Short of the record by 13 inches - and it’s only March 19.)
Some school roofs have three meters (ten feet) of accumulated snow, school board officials said. About 300 workers were using shovels, scoops and even chainsaws to cut through the snow and ice.
There has been even more snowfall in Quebec's outlying areas. The Mont Orford ski hill about 120 kilometres to the east of Montreal has had 527 cm of snowfall since the beginning of the season
