UK set for MORE wintry weather with temperatures as low as -6C tonight

UK set for MORE wintry weather with frost and freezing temperatures as low as -6C tonight in the north – but forecasters say a warm end to April is still possible

• UK bracing for more wintry weather, frost creeping in and temperatures set to plummet as low as -6C (21.2F) 
• Last night, some of the coldest temperatures recorded in the UK were Benson, south Oxfordshire, at a freezing -6.4C (20.48F), Sennybridge, Wales, at -6.3C (20.66F) and Altnaharra in Sutherland at -5.6C (21.92F)
• Signs in late April of more settled conditions redeveloping with temperatures ‘likely’ to be above average

The UK is bracing for yet more wintry weather conditions with frost creeping in overnight and temperatures set to plummet as low as -6C (21.2F).

Forecasters have predicted that some ‘peaks and troughs’ of spring sunshine will hit most of Britain over the next week, with some windy intervals also expected in most regions, with Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge predicting lows of -6C (21.2F) in northern regions on Saturday night, before a slightly milder turn on Sunday.

‘Tonight will be cold, with widespread frost across the UK. We could well see a number of spots between -4C (24.8F) and -6C (21.2F),’ he said.

‘Typically everything started flowering and all the gardeners do need to keep an eye for the frost tonight because that will cause issues for some, I’m sure.’

A yellow weather warning put in place by national forecasters for Saturday was lifted at 10am, with conditions milder than on Friday. 

Last night, some of the coldest temperatures recorded in the UK were Benson, south Oxfordshire, at a freezing -6.4C (20.48F), Sennybridge, Wales, at -6.3C (20.66F) and Altnaharra in Sutherland at -5.6C (21.92F).

Some showers are due on eastern coasts across the weekend but temperatures will generally feel less cold because of lighter winds across the country, Mr Partridge said.

Saturday afternoon warmed up to highs of 9C (48.2F) in Carlisle, Brighton and Belfast, 8C (46.4F) in London and 7C (44.6F) in much of the Midlands.

Forecasters have predicted that some ‘peaks and troughs’ of spring sunshine will hit most of Britain over the next week, with some windy intervals also expected in most regions, with Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge predicting lows of -6C (21.2F) in northern regions on Saturday night, before a slightly milder turn on Sunday. People pictured punting along the River Cam in Cambridge this afternoon with blankets and champagne flutes

It has been less windy than previous days, instead seeing some sunny spells and scattered showers, but temperatures are expected to drop again to below freezing for some parts of the country.

Newtown in Wales may drop to as low as -2C (28.4F) tonight, with Milton Keynes, Swindon and Banbury to go down to -1C (30.2F).

Temperatures will reach 10C (50F) in some parts of the UK tomorrow, and get even warmer by Monday afternoon with highs of 14C (57.2F) in London.

The Met Office said ahead of today’s weather: ‘Showers soon dying out from all but the far north east to leave largely clear skies and a cold and frosty night. Some shallow fog patches may develop by dawn. 

‘Showers in the far north turning into more persistent rain by midday, this then extending to all of Scotland and Northern Ireland by evening. Isolated showers and sunny intervals elsewhere.’

It has been less windy than previous days, instead seeing some sunny spells and scattered showers, but temperatures are expected to drop again to below freezing for some parts of the country. Newtown in Wales may drop to as low as -2C (28.4F) tonight, with Milton Keynes, Swindon and Banbury to go down to -1C (30.2F)

Temperatures will reach 10C (50F) in some parts of the UK tomorrow, and get even warmer by Monday afternoon with highs of 14C (57.2F).

Sunshine and dry weather could warm up most parts of the UK on Sunday, but rain is likely to edge in over Northern Ireland and Scotland.

‘A wetter and windier day round there and we could see some strong, possibly gale-force winds around Scotland,’ Mr Partridge said.  

More unsettled weather is set to hit most of Britain from Monday to Wednesday, with widespread rain and wind expected.

‘That’s the difficulty with spring and its peaks and troughs,’ Mr Partridge said.

The icy weather this month comes after the UK experienced its sunniest March since 1929 and its second sunniest overall, with records dating back to 1919.

Northern Ireland basked in 90 per cent more sunshine than average for the month, with a total of 192.5 hours of sun.

Newtown in Wales may drop to as low as -2C (28.4F) tonight, with Milton Keynes, Swindon and Banbury to go down to -1C (30.2F). People pictured punting along the River Cam in Cambridge this afternoon

People punting along the River Cam in Cambridge today. Temperatures will reach 10C (50F) in some parts of the UK tomorrow, and get even warmed by Monday afternoon with highs of 14C (57.2F)

People wrap up under blankets as they punt along the River Cam in Cambridge this afternoon, with more wintry weather is on the way this weekend, the Met Office has warned

Scotland saw 64 per cent more sun than usual, with a total of 160.1 hours, while England enjoyed its sunniest March at 168.1 hours and Wales its fifth brightest with 157.9 hours. 

Scots also saw just 50 per cent of its average rainfall with 61.9mm, and the UK as a whole experiencing only 58 per cent of of its average rainfall, with 46.9mm of rain. 

In the UK, the warmest average temperature for April was recorded at 10.7C (51.26F) in 2011, with the coldest average in 1917 at a chilly 4.3C (39.74F).

The national forecaster says that from Monday through to Wednesday next week, it will be generally cloudy, unsettled period for most, although milder than recently. 

The most persistent rain will affect northern and western areas, with some of this turning to snow over high ground. 

Until Friday 15 April, further unsettled conditions are expected to arrive later in the week, with most areas seeing spells of rain or showers, potentially wintry on high ground at times.

‘Periods of drier and more settled weather are still possible, but more short-lived than recently,’ the Met Office reports. 

‘Showers may be heavy at times, with hail and thunder possible. Strong winds are also likely at times, mainly in the north and the west, with temperatures generally near or slightly above average.’

Towards late April, there are ‘tentative’ signs of more settled conditions redeveloping, with temperatures ‘likely’ to be above average, especially in the south.

Near-average minimum temperatures as a result of the often clear skies Britons got to see last month have led the average mean temperature for March to be 1C above average for the UK, sitting at 6.7C (44.06F). 

But the weather gradually turned more unsettled towards the end of the month with temperatures dropping to welcome in a supposedly springtime month.  

April began with such a cold climate that gardeners have been warned to keep an eye on their blooms as sub-zero temperatures on expected on Saturday night could disrupt flowering. 

Dr Mark McCarthy of the National Climate Information Centre said: ‘March has again illustrated the typical variability of the UK’s climate, with some cold conditions at the start and end of the month separated by a long spell of mild and settled weather.

‘The record-breaking sunshine figures were largely brought on by a very large area of high pressure that sat over the UK for much of the month, at times also covering much of Europe. This brought clear skies, mild days, but also some cool nights and some frosts.

‘We’ve seen the warmest weather of the year so far with 20.8C recorded in London on 23 March, but we also saw a low of –9.1C at Aboyne at the start of the month, highlighting the variability of March in the UK.’

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