A fresh blitz of snowy weather could hit parts of the UK tomorrow. (Image: PA/WXCharts)
Unseasonably high temperatures will be chased out by a barrage of and ice across 14 UK counties this week, according to forecasters. Parts of the UK were hotter than the Costa del Sol last weekend, but the warm and sunny March weather was short-lived, with greyer, less settled conditions pushing through early this week. A return to single-digit temperatures and speedy retreat of opportunist sun-seekers will continue over the coming days, , with great swathes of the country set to be coated in a late-winter dusting of snow within hours.
The latest wintry front will hit 14 counties, from the Scottish Highlands to and Hampshire, from 3am on Thursday, March 13, bringing with it a drop to sub-zero temperatures and heavy rainfall moving across the northeasterly coast. By 6am on Thursday, snow is forecast be hammering a huge stretch of the UK, with easterly regions at particular risk of disruption. Snow depths could reach 1cm in Northumberland and Durham, with the northeast coast of England also set to be hit by around 1.5cm of rainfall per hour.
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Temperatures are set to plummet below zero across the country this week (Image: WXCharts)
Snow will begin falling across the country on Thursday morning (Image: WXCharts)
Weather maps show the “fool’s spring” forecast (Image: WXCharts)
Maps from WXCharts also show the mercury dropping to -2C in northern Scotland and -3C in Lancashire and North Yorkshire. Sub-zero lows of -1C could also be recorded near London and Southampton.
The Cheltenham Festival in Gloucestershire already saw a flurry of snow on Wednesday, after the issued a yellow weather warning for ice across northern regions on Thursday. The warning will cover parts of Yorkshire and Northumberland between 3am and 9am, with the forecaster warning of wintry showers and icy conditions.
“Some showers came through with lower overnight temperatures last night, meaning it comes through as snow,” spokesperson Oli Claydon said. “We’re expecting to see the same sort of regime over the next few days, with showers continuing in the North East and Scotland.”
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The wintry weather will continue throughout Thursday afternoon (Image: WXCharts)
“There’s also a front that moves through on Friday that could bring snow over widespread areas of Scotland, and we might see some wintry showers over the highest parts of Ireland,” he added.
Birmingham city centre also saw some snowfall this morning, and the has warned residents in Cumbria and Yorkshire that they could also be in for a flurry or two this afternoon.
The sudden temperature drop, following a period of 18C sunshine, is colloquially known as a “fool’s spring”, referring to unseasonal warmth, quickly followed by a cold snap. The phenomenon, generally observed in March or April, is caused by temporary shifts in weather patterns during a transition period that is often unpredictable and prone to change.
The 14 counties set to be hit by snow this week:
Scottish Highlands
Aberdeenshire
Perth and Kinross
Scottish Borders
Northumberland
Durham
North Yorkshire
Cheshire
Derbyshire
Lincolnshire
London
Surrey
Hampshire
Hertfordshire
The Met Office’s five day weather forecast:
Today:
Rain and patchy frost expected to clear across southern England and Wales, with some sunshine. Chilly breeze and some wintry showers ushered in during the afternoon.
Tonight:
Heavy and some wintry rainfall forecast for much of eastern and northeastern England. Dry and icy conditions elsewhere.
Thursday:
Cool temperatures across the UK with intermittent sunshine and showers. Western regions will be least impacted by unsettled patterns.
Outlook for Friday to Sunday:
More mixed dry and unsettled weather, with snow and ice in hilly areas. Conditions will improve over the weekend, though overnight frosts are expected to continue.