coldest 8th of december recorded -17.8 cambridge 1879
Today in 1990 snowdrifts of 24 inches on the motorways around birmingham cause choas when,despite the severe weather warnings, the public go out and about as usual.The problem is greatly aggravated by the number of cars abandoned on entirely unnecessary journeys.To the consternation of the emergency services, people call in to report getting stuck- on excursions to look at the snow.