A cold snap is set to bring chilly and windy conditions to the UK for the weekend, after parts of England and Scotland saw hail and snow on Wednesday. Fuelled by Arctic winds, temperatures remained between 5C and 10C but felt more like freezing, with the Met Office warning that unsettled weather will continue in the coming days.
On Wednesday night, snow settled across parts of Scotland, reaching depths of 6cm at Tulloch Bridge and 2cm at Aviemore. Hail and icy pellets were seen in London and Devon, with scattered showers across the country.
By Thursday daytime, strong northwesterly winds carrying colder Arctic air were expected to shift to a milder west or southwesterly flow. While there will be sunny intervals, cloud and rain are set to push into Northern Ireland and western parts of the UK, but it will feel less cold.
Temperatures are due to return to average on Friday, between 7C and 13C, but those hoping for a sunny weekend will be sorely mistaken, as wintry showers and patchy rain are predicted. Met Office deputy chief forecaster Steven Keates said: “After a spell of mild and brighter weather, the UK will turn increasingly unsettled in the coming days. A series of weather fronts will bring periods of rain, strong winds and much colder air by midweek.”
British Summer Time (BST) also begins on Sunday, with the clocks jumping an hour forward to gain another hour of daylight. Looking ahead to next week, drier and more settled conditions are more likely in the south of England, while some colder interludes and wintry showers are likely in the North.
