Weather forecast UK – Sharp cold snap to hit Britain with weekend frost before temperatures rise and heavy downpours hit

NORTH EAST FORECAST

This evening and Tonight:

A breezy evening with occasional blustery showers, wintry over high ground where snow accumulations are likely in places. Showers will become less frequent later in the night, with prolonged clear spells but a widespread frost and icy stretches. Minimum temperature -1 °C.

Saturday:

Cold, breezy, with sunny spells and a few showers quickly fading. Any snow accumulations melting. Becoming increasingly cloudy during the afternoon, with further strong winds and rain in the evening. Maximum temperature 10 °C.

LONDON AND SOUTH EAST FORECAST

This evening and Tonight:

A breezy evening with a few blustery showers. These will become few and far between later in the night, with clear spells becoming more prolonged around dawn and a chance of frost in places. Minimum temperature 0 °C.

Saturday:

A fine and dry day overall, with perhaps the odd morning shower in Hampshire. Plenty of sunshine though increasingly hazy during the afternoon. Breezy with more cloud later. Maximum temperature 11 °C.

SNOW ODDS

Bookmaker Coral makes it odds-on at 1-2 for snow to fall in any major city in the UK over the weekend.

The firm goes 4-6 for Easter to be the hottest on record, while it is 4-5 for next month to be a record hot April.

“Although we have a mini heatwave to look forward to next week, we shouldn’t be packing away the winter clothes just yet. Our betting suggests we could see snow over the weekend,” said Coral’s John Hill.

“Once we get over this weekend, we can look forward to temperatures in the low 20 degree Celsius. It could also be one of the hottest Easters on record,” added Hill.

NORTH WEST FORECAST

Today:

Sunny spells and scattered showers, at times turning heavy and wintry, along with possible thunder too. Windy and feeling colder. Maximum temperature 10 °C.

Tonight:

Further clear spells with blustery wintry showers overnight with some snow accumulation over higher ground. Widespread frost with a risk of ice for some. Windy with coastal gales. Minimum temperature -2 °C.

PRE-SPRING WEATHER

From the Met Office:

The pre-spring period will contain a variety of weather across the UK.

The transient cold snap through Friday and into Saturday quickly eases before another dramatic change in weather type brings milder and wetter conditions to the UK.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Andy Page said: “From Saturday we are going to see a change in weather across the UK, with the northern and southern parts of Britain experiencing quite marked differences.”

WILD US WEATHER

Blaring tornado sirens and howling winds roared across parts of western Georgia early Friday as severe storms pounded southern states, including in Alabama where at least five people died in twisters that wrecked homes, splintered trees and crumpled businesses.

Meteorologists said a large, dangerous tornado swept through metro Atlanta’s Coweta County around midnight Friday, sparking a tornado emergency for the city of Newnan and surrounding communities. There were several reports downed trees and power lines.

Newnan police asked residents to get off the roads in a Facebook post, explaining that emergency officials were surveying the area.

PET DISEASE WARNING

There’s been more cases of a deadly disease which spells heartbreak for dog owners.

The flesh-destroying killer, called Alabama Rot, thrives in cold, rain-soaked fields and woods where owners are taking their pets for much-needed lockdown walkies.

There have already been twelve cases since January 1st, the worst on record for such a short period.

It’s striking across Britain and there’s no known cure. Vets say that only in three dogs survive when they contract the disease.

PET WARNING

With warmer weather forecast as the March 29th step to lockdown freedom beckons, families heading for the coast have been warned to keep an eye on their dogs.

Coastguards say there has been a spate of pets plunging over cliffs in Cornwall – often when they’re off the lead and chasing rabbits.

Rescuers in Falmouth were called to three in one week, including a dog that slipped down a rock face at Feock.

WET APRIL ODDS

Bookmaker Coral has cut the odds on next month being the wettest April on record in the UK to just 2-1 as forecasts hint at heavy rain seeing in the fourth month of the year.

“April showers are well and truly on the menu this year, with the start of the month set to be a wet one. We’ve slashed the odds on it going on to be our wettest April on record,” said Coral’s Harry Aitkenhead.

Coral are going 11-8 that the UK’s hottest ever temperature is broken at any point during 2021, with hopes high for a sweltering summer.

FLOOD DEFENCE

With rain forecast, relief is on the way for nearly 300 homes and businesses in Worcestershire who will be protected by new Environment Agency flood defences costing £4 million.

It’s helped to install new defences in Broadway, Childswickham and Murcot which hold up to 135,000 cubic metres of water during flooding.

They will only allow a set amount of water to flow downstream at times of intense and high rainfall.

Millions of pounds damage has been wreaked when the River Severn and the River Wye are flooded by torrential rain.

HOT ODDS

Next week could be the hottest March day on record, according to Ladbrokes.

With temperatures on the rise, the bookies have cut odds from 8/1 to just 4/1 on 1968’s record March temperature of 25.6C being surpassed anywhere in the UK in the next few days.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “Easter Sunday is shaping up to be a record-breaking hot one, but with a mini-heatwave ready to bake Britain, there’s a chance this month plays host to the hottest March day ever.”

HEAVY RAIN

Many western hills will see some heavy rain through Sunday and Monday whereas parts of the east and southeast could stay relatively dry.

This pattern looks likely to continue into the middle of next week when, once again, we expect to see a change in the weather.

Although there are still some uncertainties in the outlook there are signs a high pressure system could develop by the end of next week allowing cold air from the north to return across the UK bringing another dip in temperatures for Easter weekend and a risk of wintry showers in places at times.

SUPER WORM MOON

Weather watchers will be ‘mooning’ this weekend to enjoy a marvel of nature – if there’s no rain.

A Super Worm Moon will be visible – if the skies are clear of course – and the best time is on Sunday evening.

Neil Norman, an astronomer from Hadleigh, Suffolk, said “The name Worm Moon is taken from the North American Indian naming of the moons.

“This one refers to the first full moon of spring and the thawing of the ground, and hence the worms beginning to surface again.”

FORECAST FOR TONIGHT AND TOMORROW

Tonight: Rain will clear south-east England during the evening. Elsewhere there will be clear spells and scattered showers which will be largely across northern and western areas and some will be wintry.

Overnight will be mostly dry and clear. Showers will ease however a few will linger across western areas.

Tomorrow: A largely dry and bright start to the day on Saturday with early spells of sunshine.

It will continue to be mostly dry and sunny during the morning however a few showers may develop in the west. Thick cloud cover will build in from the west during the day bringing drizzle and rain to western areas later.

TORNADO SEASON

In the United States today, a series of tornadoes hatched by early spring super cell storms tore across Alabama and moved into Georgia.

The storms left at least five people dead amid ruins of wrecked homes, splintered trees and crumpled businesses.

Authorities said one fierce tornado traveled roughly 100 miles (160 kilometers) across Alabama on Thursday, leaving a long path of damage.

With power knocked out to tens of thousands and people now tasked with clearing away the debris and rebuilding, the violent weather that swept parts of Alabama and the region marked the most dreaded part of springtime in the Deep South: tornado season.

-12.5C DURING COLDEST EASTER ON RECORD

Forecasters can’t seem to reach an agreement on whether Easter will be mild or very cold – although almost all agree there’s little certainty.

But hopefully it won’t be quite as chilly as the coldest Easter weekend on record, which happened in 2013 when -12.5C was recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The deepest snow recorded on an Easter weekend was in 2010 when 36cm was measured at Strathdearn, Invernessshire, also in Scotland.

And the wettest was in 1991 when 108.7mm of rainfall was recorded at Seatoller, in Cumbria.

WHERE DID SPRING GO?

More on that last blog post now.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Frank Saunders said: “Cold air from the north pushes across the country on Friday.

“A cold front will bring a band of rain and blustery conditions for many and there will be a marked drop in temperatures, with some places seeing a fall of 5 or 6C between Thursday and Friday.

“There will be some wintry showers in places with some lying snow possible at times over hills further north.”

‘SHORT, SHARP COLD SNAP’

The weather will get a lot better next week – but today, it’s going to be really chilly, forecasters say.

The Met Office has warned of a “short, sharp cold snap” which will begin today and last until tomorrow.

And that could even bring snow for people living in the north and Scotland.

More on this next.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG

Britain is to bask in warm sunshine during the Easter week as lockdown rules are relaxed to allow outdoor meetings again, forecasters have announced.

Next week temperatures are set to be above average with warm and dry conditions forecast as the country starts to release itself from months of lockdown.

From Monday, 29 March, Brits can meet outdoors in groups of six or two households – including in private gardens.

Outdoor parent groups will also be allowed to meet, with a limit of up to 15 parents.

Outdoor sports facilities including golf courses, tennis and basketball courts and swimming pools can all open. The stay at home order will also be withdrawn.

WARMTH TO CONTINUE INTO APRIL

The warmth could continue well into April – in time for the reopening of hairdressers, non-essential retail and boozers.

Temperatures are expected to top the 13C average for this time of year and soar towards 19C the day after lockdown eases.

The exception will be Friday, when the Met Office’s chief meteorologist Frank Saunders warns: “There will be some wintry showers in places with some lying snow possible at times over hills further north.”

Met Office forecaster Deakin said models show a “strong signal” for higher pressure after that – which is associated with warmer temperatures.

The warmth could continue well into April – in time for the reopening of hairdressers, non-essential retail and boozers.

SUDDEN RETURN TO WINTER

A sudden return to winter will bring the risk of snow and ice over the next few days – just as we prepare to welcome British Summer Time.

The clocks ‘spring’ forward an hour on Sunday morning but the weather will be far from summery, thanks to a cold front crossing the country tomorrow and Saturday.

This opens the door to a mass of cold air, sweeping in all the way from Greenland.

PICTURED

Brits enjoyed the warm weather earlier today in Weymouth, Dorset.

Credit: Alamy

Credit: Alamy

WEEKEND WEATHER. – SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A largely dry start with early spells of sunshine however a few isolated showers may develop.

Thick cloud will build in from the west bringing drizzle and rain to western areas later.

Mostly cloudy on Sunday with outbreaks of rain.

There will be brighter spells and showers across northern Britain.

FRIDAY’S FORECAST – FROM MORNING TO NIGHT

POLLEN FORECAST REMAINS LOW FOR START OF SPRING

The pollen forecast for the rest of the week remains low across the UK.

For the map, see below.