Beast from the East 2018: Timeline and Impact in Ireland & UK

If you were in Ireland during the last week of February 2018, chances are you still remember the snow piling up and the country grinding to a halt. That cold spell – popularly called the Beast from the East – brought the worst snowfall in Ireland since 1982 and officially lasted 12 days.

Start date: 22 February 2018 ·
End date: 5 March 2018 ·
Duration: 12 days ·
Worst snowstorm in Ireland since: 1982 ·
Meteorological name: Anticyclone Hartmut ·
Associated storm in Ireland: Storm Emma

Six key facts at a glance show the scale of the event:

The implication: the Beast from the East was not a single storm but a prolonged cold snap that, when combined with Storm Emma, produced deadly conditions on both sides of the Irish Sea.

When was the Beast from the East in Ireland?

The Beast from the East began on 22 February 2018 and lasted until early March 2018, according to Met Éireann (Ireland’s national meteorological service). The UK Met Office officially named the high-pressure system behind it Anticyclone Hartmut. The cold spell was already under way when a low-pressure system named Storm Emma by Met Éireann arrived on 1–2 March 2018, dumping heavy snow across Ireland.

The Irish public and media quickly adopted the phrase “Beast from the East,” though the official meteorological term for the broader event is the 2018 British Isles cold wave (University College Cork (climate research unit)).

The pattern: official naming by two different agencies created confusion, but both agree that the worst of the snow in Ireland fell on 1–2 March 2018.

How long did the 2018 Beast from the East last?

Exact start and end dates given by Met Éireann and UK Met Office

• Start: 22 February 2018 – cold air from Siberia began moving westwards (University College Cork).
• End: 5 March 2018 – conditions gradually improved (Met Éireann).

Duration in days and key phases

• The cold wave lasted approximately 12 days.
• First significant snow in Ireland: around 27 February 2018 in eastern and southeastern areas (Met Éireann).
• Most intense snowfall: 1–2 March 2018 during Storm Emma, with Status Red warnings in effect (Government of Ireland (official emergency information)).
• Temperatures dropped to -5°C to -10°C across many parts of Ireland and the UK (University College Cork).

The trade-off: a long cold spell with a short, violent peak – the definition of a compound weather event.

How did the Beast from the East happen in Ireland?

Meteorological origins: cold air from Siberia

A high-pressure system parked over Scandinavia directed cold, dry air from Siberia westward across Europe, according to University College Cork (climate research unit). This easterly airflow is what meteorologists call a “Beast from the East” – the airmass originates from the Eurasian continent.

Role of high-pressure system over Scandinavia

• The high-pressure system – Anticyclone Hartmut – blocked milder Atlantic air from reaching the British Isles (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)).
• This allowed temperatures to fall well below average for late February.

Interaction with Storm Emma

When the cold easterly air met warmer, moist air from the Atlantic (the low-pressure system Storm Emma), it produced heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions (University College Cork). Strong winds blowing the snow reduced visibility to near zero in places.

The takeaway: Ireland’s geography at the western edge of Europe makes it vulnerable when Siberian cold and Atlantic lows collide.

Beast from the East: Extreme weather in the UK and Ireland

Comparison of impact on Ireland vs. UK

The UK saw similar extreme cold and snow, with some areas recording over 50 cm of snow (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)). However, the combination with Storm Emma made the situation particularly severe for Ireland.

Schools and transport closures

• All schools in Ireland were closed on 1–2 March 2018 (Government of Ireland (official emergency information)).
• Roads, rail, and air travel were severely disrupted; Dublin Airport cancelled dozens of flights.
• The snow event was especially severe in Leinster and Munster, where red warnings and major transport disruption were reported (Stratford College (education institution)).

Casualties and disruptions

At least 3 fatalities were reported in Ireland and 17 in the UK (Government of Ireland; Wikipedia). Hundreds of motorists were stranded overnight, and emergency services mounted large-scale rescues.

Met Éireann later described the episode as “one of the most significant snowfalls to affect Ireland in recent decades.”

Met Éireann

The UK Met Office noted that Anticyclone Hartmut “directed cold air from Siberia across Europe, bringing snow and ice to many parts of the UK.”

UK Met Office (via Wikipedia)

The pattern: the Beast from the East was a shared event, but Ireland’s experience was uniquely defined by the timing of Storm Emma.

Timeline: Beast from the East and Storm Emma

• 22 February 2018 – Cold air from Siberia begins moving westwards; start of the Beast from the East (University College Cork).
• 25–27 February 2018 – Temperatures drop sharply across Ireland and UK; widespread snow begins (Met Éireann).
• 1–2 March 2018 – Storm Emma arrives in Ireland; Status Red warning; heaviest snowfall and blizzard conditions (Met Éireann; Government of Ireland).
• 3–5 March 2018 – Conditions gradually improve; snow melts (Met Éireann).

What we know and what remains unclear

For residents and local authorities in Ireland, the lesson from 2018 is clear: prepare for multi-day snow events even in a typically mild climate, or face severe disruption.

Related reading: Moderate Snow Ice Warning – Meaning, Impacts and Preparation · Weather in Waterford 10 Days – Met Éireann Forecast

Meteorologists later compared the event’s severity to the detailed timeline of the 2018 cold spell, which remains a benchmark for extreme winter weather in the region.

Frequently asked questions