Britain to be colder than Christmas as big chill arrives

PA

Don't put your thermals and wellies away yet as another bout of Arctic weather will arrive in Britain over the next few days making it colder than it was at Christmas.

Snowfall is expected in some parts of the UK and torrential rains will reach you if snow and icy winds don't.

Fierce winds from Lapland and the North Pole will make sub-zero temperatures of -5C in the North feel even colder today and heavy showers could mean the Grand National is its muddiest since 2001.

Most regions will see sunshine and showers today with temperatures reaching 12C in the South and 9C in Northern areas during the day.

Brian Gaze of The Weather Outlook told the Daily Star: 'It's April showers with a wintry twist. Today looks cool or cold, with temperatures dropping rapidly during showers, so people should wrap up if outdoors.'

After a freezing night tonight, areas of higher ground in the North will see a dusting of snow in the morning and most places will be dry and crisp.

The temperature in Newcastle tomorrow is likely to linger at 6C, compared to the the mild 13C it experienced on Christmas Day.

Monday will see rain and high winds blow in from the West and there's a high chance of light rain in Eastern areas too. The weather is expected to stay unsettled and rainy next week.

The early spring heatwave doesn't look like it will make a comeback either, as forecasters say the freak cold spell could last until May.

Meteorologist Jim Dale at British Weather Services told the Express: 'Looking forward, there is more to come and we are not likely to get out of this colder period any time soon.'

'The warmth we had has gone – and we better get used to it,' he added.

This week saw the Met Office issue a severe weather warning as heavy thunderstorms hit the South-West with flood and hail alerts.

Meanwhile experts say that April's downpours would need to continue until August at double-the-average to end the drought. The hosepipe ban in the south of England is affecting over 20 million people.

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