Europe’s freezing spell to last until end of the month

The worst February cold spell Europe has seen in decades may last until the end of the month, leading meteorologists said, raising the prospect of further deaths and an extended spike in European spot gas prices.

“We do have higher confidence in a change by mid-February, but not to milder weather,” Leon Brown, a meteorologist at The Weather Channel said. “February will probably remain a cold month right to the end.”

The cold and heavy snowfall has killed more than 400 people across Europe. The temperature in some eastern countries has plummeted to -40°C.