12 photos of freezing London to prepare you for the Arctic blast

We've spent the past few unnervingly warm months wondering if the weather men had decided to cancel a real winter this year. But that's all about to change: the cold is officially coming. An 'ice blast' from the Arctic, in fact. By this time next week, London will be experiencing icy temperatures of 0-5C – and it might even snow.

As well as stocking up on de-icer and socks, you'll want to mentally prepare yourself to feel the sudden, grim onset of cold in your bones.  So do yourself a favour and scroll through the photos below to remind yourself what London looks and feels like in the grips of freezing temperatures.

 

Greetings from #frozenlondon brrrh

A photo posted by Jakub Dolejs (@jakubdolejs) on Jan 18, 2013 at 1:19pm PST

Courtesy: Flickr/Creative Commons/Bridget McKenzie

 

Short walk in the #snow ❄️#HydePark #London #snowinLondon #snowyLondon #winter #winterinLondon #pigeon #birds #timeoutcover

A photo posted by thegirlygeek (@thegirlygeek) on Feb 3, 2015 at 3:24am PST

 

Hello spring!!!

A photo posted by Julia Caram (@julia_caram) on Mar 24, 2013 at 5:39am PDT

 

Cold morning #fog #cold #freezinginlondon #london

A photo posted by Catarina Faria (@catarinafaria1) on Dec 12, 2013 at 12:34am PST

Courtesy: Flickr/Creative Commons/NJ Spicer

 

WELCOME ❄️ WINTER #london #freezinglondon #mondaymorning #wintertime #winterpleasebekind

A photo posted by @beat_bx on Nov 23, 2015 at 4:46am PST

 

#snowlondon

A photo posted by Massimiliano Binda (@max_binda) on Nov 21, 2015 at 1:03am PST

Courtesy: Flickr/Creative Commons/Hernan Pinera

 

#iphone #iphoneography #iphonephotography #tube #londonunderground #shoottheunderground #snow #snowlondon #aauk #thisislondon #london #ilovelondon #shutup_london #cityscape #urban #londonstreetlife #citybestpics #harmonyoflight #vscogood #snapso #global_family #gf_daily #gf_uk #ig_global #skrwt

A photo posted by Kyun N. (@kyun.pic) on Feb 3, 2015 at 2:09am PST

Courtesy: Flickr/Creative Commons/John Curnow

 

First snow of the year in London a I choose to run to work 😱❄️🏃 #snowlondon #footprints

A photo posted by Hari Anne Alice Milburn (@hariannealice) on Feb 3, 2015 at 2:09am PST

The big smoke: London's pollution levels are already above the annual limit