Britain prepares for coldest winter in 100 years

Councils are gearing up for what could be Britain's coldest winter in 100 years, as sub-zero temperatures and snow follow days of downpours that have devastated large parts of the country, The Telegraph reported.Temperatures in rural areas will fall as low as -5°c on Thursday, followed by hail and snowfall on higher ground, the Met Office has warned.[caption id="attachment_539956" align="alignleft" width="380"] Pic courtesy IBNLive.[/caption]Snow is expected in some parts of the UK by Friday and could cause chaos on rail networks only days after many routes were subject to delays and cancellations due to flooding.The harsh conditions could cost the UK economy, The Telegraph reported.Local authorities told The Telegraph they are ready for a harsh winter and have made ensured there are sufficient gritters and snowploughs to avoid a repeat of two years ago when heavy snowfall caused large swathes of the country to grind to a halt.