Britain is set to shiver as a bitter Arctic vortex sweeps across the country, bringing widespread frost and cold temperatures. The low-pressure band will move slowly, causing persistent frost that could damage vegetation, particularly vegetables, grapevines, and fruit trees.
Wednesday’s weather will be particularly cold and windy, with gusts of up to 28mph battering the North Sea coast from Suffolk to Durham. The strongest gales are expected around lunchtime in Norfolk. These northerly winds will send temperatures plummeting, with East and North Yorkshire experiencing lows of 4C by Wednesday afternoon.
Wednesday night will be particularly cold, with many waking up to frost on Thursday morning. The cold snap will be a stark contrast to the glorious weather experienced over the weekend, when temperatures reached nearly 20C in Castlederg, Northern Ireland, and over 16C in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire.
The cold air will persist throughout the week, with temperatures unlikely to exceed 7C for many on Thursday, well below the average for this time of year. Cloud cover may make it feel even colder.
Despite the cold, the upcoming week is expected to be drier than the recent soggy months.