Britain is set to be hit by a sharp chill within hours, with new weather maps showing temperatures plunging as low as 3C and 32 counties falling below 10C. The dramatic temperature drop and cold weather are forecast to arrive in the early hours of Saturday, August 22, bringing a chilly start to the weekend for millions.
This comes after weeks of record-breaking heat, with the UK experiencing repeated heatwaves during an exceptionally hot summer. Summer 2026 is currently on course to become the hottest on record. The sudden switch will see temperatures tumble into single figures across huge areas of Britain, a stark contrast to the scorching conditions experienced during recent spells of hot weather.
Coldest conditions in Scotland
Weather maps from WXCharts show minimum temperatures dipping into single figures across much of Scotland, Wales, and northern and central England by 6am. The coldest conditions appear over parts of Scotland, where the mercury is shown sinking to around 3C in some locations.
Widespread lows of between 4C and 7C are indicated across other parts of Scotland, while temperature lows of around 5C to 9C extend southwards into northern England.
Sub-10C zone across Britain
The sub-10C zone stretches from south-west Wales through the Midlands and towards East Anglia, with much of the country north of this line forecast to experience single-digit temperatures. Large parts of Wales are also shown falling into single figures, with temperature lows of around 7C to 9C appearing across several areas.
In England, the chill stretches from the northern counties through Yorkshire and the North West and into parts of the Midlands. Northern Ireland is also firmly within the colder air, with widespread lows of around 7C to 9C shown across the country. The lowest temperatures there appear across inland areas, while coastal locations generally remain slightly milder.
Counties below 10C
The counties forecast to fall below 10C include Northumberland, County Durham, Cumbria, Lancashire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, North Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and Tyrone.
