Parts of the United Kingdom are forecast to experience freezing overnight temperatures and frosty mornings as cold Arctic air moves into the region. The Met Office predicts that temperatures in northern England and Scotland could plunge to as low as -3C on Wednesday and Thursday nights, with the possibility of snow on higher ground. The chilly conditions are a result of northerly winds bringing cold air from the Arctic. Average April temperatures in the UK typically range from 14C to 15C, but so far this month, conditions have been colder, with temperatures closer to 10C in the south east of England.
The Met Office also warns of a risk of heavy rain and possible thunderstorms in southern areas of the UK over the weekend due to an area of low pressure moving across the country. These weather conditions will likely bring unsettled weather and cloudy skies, but temperatures are expected to rise over the weekend, possibly even exceeding seasonal averages by one or two degrees in places.
Ellie Glaisyer, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said the chillier temperatures experienced in April are not unusual and are expected to move closer to their seasonal averages over the weekend and into the start of next week. She added that the colder temperatures are expected to last for the next few days, with areas of eastern England experiencing particularly chilly weather. The 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.
While the cold weather is not exceptional, it is slightly below average for this time of year. The Met Office expects temperatures to return to more seasonal averages over the weekend and into the start of next week.
