Europe-bound Kiwis warned by Flight Centre to beware of the 'Beast from the East'

A man walks past the ancient Colosseum during a rare snowfall in Rome. Photo / AP

A travel agent is warning of possible disruption for Europe-bound Kiwis from a monster Siberian storm dubbed the ''Beast from the East.''

Flight Centre is closely monitoring the storm which is hitting parts of Europe and is expected to bring snow and freezing temperatures to Britain during the next few days.

British Airways (BA) has already cancelled a number of services. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled because of the severe weather.

''It is important customers do not assume all flights will be impacted. Kiwis due to travel in the next day or two should contact their carrier to confirm,'' said Sue Matson, Flight Centre NZ general manager retail.

Those booked with Flight Centre should ensure the agent has their full and correct contact information so that they could be reached and advised of the status of their flights.

In Britain fallout from the "Beast from the East" has already begun across the country, with shoppers stocking up with essentials and rail and air services cancelled as forecasters and operators warn of plummeting temperatures.

The Telegraph reports the Met Office has put out a new warning as Storm Emma is due to hit Britain on Thursday and Friday, bringing heavy snow, blizzards and high winds.

Some parts of the UK are forecast to feel colder than the Arctic Circle as freezing temperatures continue into the week ahead, and amber warnings of snow have been issued by the Met Office for north east, central and south eastern England on Tuesday, and eastern Scotland on Wednesday.

Rome was blanketed by rare snow on Monday with schools and businesses closed and public transport brought to a halt. The snow has since mostly melted but due to the freezing temperatures, ice is an issue for people on the streets of the city now.

Matson said a number of events worldwide recently, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions highlighted the importance of travel insurance.

''We recommend anyone soon to travel overseas to make sure they have sufficient cover for their trip. It's a timely reminder that insurance should be purchased at the time of booking.''