Snow to hit parts of UK as temperatures predicted to fall to -3°C
Snow may fall across the UK on Thursday night and temperatures may plummet to as low as -3°C according to forecasters.
The Met Office said temperatures in some areas of northern England and Scotland could plunge to below zero on Thursday evening and snow is likely over hills in the north of the UK above 400m.
Snow is likelier because of temperatures this April being around 4-6°C below the 14°C to 15°C average for the month, the Met Office said.
The forecaster added that frosty mornings and freezing overnight temperatures are forecast in parts of the UK for the rest of this week before Arctic air moves away and ushers in a warmer spell at the weekend.
Ellie Glaisyer, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said the chillier temperatures experienced in April were “nothing exceptional” and are expected to move closer to their seasonal averages at the weekend and at the start of next week.
She said that on Wednesday and Thursday night “there will be some frost in places”, adding: “The reason for (the low temperatures) is that we’ve got an area of high pressure out towards the west of the UK and that gives us a northerly wind across the UK.
“So it’s those northerly winds that are bringing us to slightly below-average temperatures, particularly across eastern parts of the UK, as the air is coming from near the Arctic.”
The Met Office said there was a risk of heavy rain and possible thunderstorms in southern areas of the UK at the weekend as an area of low pressure moves across the country – that will cause unsettled weather and cloudy skies.
Ms Glaisyer added the colder temperatures are expected to last for the next few days, with areas of eastern England experiencing particularly chilly weather, before temperatures rise at the weekend and possibly even exceed their seasonal averages by 1°C or 2°C in places.
Freezing temperatures expected overnight in Scotland and northern England could possibly extend as far as rural parts of Wales and some parts of central England over the next two days, she added.
But the forecaster said the weather conditions were “nothing exceptional, just a little below average for the time of year”.
In parts of the country this week temperatures have plummeted into the minus range overnight.
The Met Office said Friday will be chilly start for most of the country, with showers continuing in the North and East and some sleet and snow over the hills.
Later on Friday, there will be rain, light winds and it will continue to feel cold for many parts of the country
On Saturday there will be change of wind direction with milder south-westerly winds bringing an increase in temperatures.
