Rare 'snownado' hits UK as Britain braces for a night of blizzards trends now

A rare 'snow tornado' has been spotted in the UK as Britain braces itself for a night of blizzards, with temperatures set to plummet to a bone-chilling -13C.

The meteorological phenomenon was filmed by Michael Peterson as he was feeding his sheep in Shetland after a hailstorm Tuesday.

An astounded Mr Peterson told BBC Radio Shetland he had been in the 'right place at the right time', as the wind whipped up the snow drifts.

Experts from the World Meteorological Organisation say snow tornadoes, or snow devils, are 'a very rare phenomenon'. They are created when gusts of winds pick up snow, creating a vortex.

The video came as the Met Office today issued an amber weather warning, with blizzards set to cause 'treacherous conditions' in the UK - with 50mph winds and up to 16 inches of snow predicted.

A 'very rare' snow tornado was filmed in Shetland on Tuesday. The meteorological phenomenon has only ever been captured a few times on camera

Michael Peterson captured the incredible footage while he was feeding his sheep in Shetland after a hailstorm Tuesday

Three amber warnings for northern England, the Midlands, North Wales and Northern Ireland, where 'significant disruption' to transport and power supplies is expected.

How do snow tornados form and why are they so rare?

Experts from the World Meteorological Organisation say snow tornadoes, or snow devils, are 'a very rare phenomenon'.

They occur when surface wind shear acts to generate a vortex over snow cover, resulting in a whirling column of snow particles being raised from the ground.

Only as handful of them have ever been captured on film.

They are closely related to waterspouts - a rotating column of air that forms over water - as they tend to form over either frozen lakes or snow-covered areas.

Snownadoes are far less intense than tornadoes, which can be extremely deadly.

However, The Science Explorer claimed that some snow devils have been reported to have been 30ft wide and 45ft high, capable of lift objects almost 700Kg in weight,

Three yellow warnings for snow also cover much of the rest of the nation, with the exception of southern England and western Scotland.

The warnings are in effect from Thursday evening until Friday.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said a pocket of western Scotland covering Glasgow and the county of Argyll may be the only region untouched by heavy rain and snow over the next 24 hours.

Mr Burkill said: 'The combination of heavy snow and gales is why we're likely to see blizzards and drifting snow which causes extra hazards on the roads.

'In places covered by amber warnings, there will be very difficult, treacherous conditions.

'Ideally avoid travelling in those periods - but if you have to head out then be aware that journeys could take significantly longer.'

Hundreds of schools across the UK closed today - including nearly 300 across Wales and every one on the Isle of Man - and the runway at Inverness Airport was shut. Several main roads across Derbyshire were closed, including the A57 and A6024.

And Buckingham Palace said Queen Consort Camilla had pulled out of engagements at Newmarket in Suffolk today after the bad weather disrupted her travel plans.

Mr Burkill added that while Devon and Cornwall should be free from the snow, the region is predicted to be hit by the strongest winds of around