Parts of the UK are likely to experience freezing temperatures and snow this weekend as the weather across the country cools after a spell of unseasonably warm temperatures in some areas, the Met Office has said.
Temperatures in northern and rural parts of Scotland are forecast to be as low as -4C with snow overnight. In London, while the weekend could start warm – with potential highs of 20C – it is likely to get colder quickly.
Heavy rain is forecast in southern parts of the UK, with the Met Office putting in place yellow warnings for rain covering all of the UK south of Stoke, Wrexham and Lincoln.
Overall, forecasters said the UK was likely to experience “markedly cooler” weather through the weekend and into next week compared with the week before. While forecasters predicted warm temperatures on Friday, highs of only 11C were expected in the capital by Sunday.
Stephen Dixon, a Met Office spokesperson, said: “This [cooler weather] is fairly usual for this time of year … some wintery showers, particularly in higher grounds of Scotland. That may be the kind of most widespread frost we’ve seen so far this season.
“Daytime temperatures through the weekend in the south (of the UK), you’re looking at kind of perhaps 10 degrees for many areas, but further north those highs are a touch more subdued looking like 8 degrees for some.
“There’s some odd light showers popping up throughout the weekend in some western areas of England and Wales as well.”
Next week, temperatures are forecasted to be “more settled” for most of the UK and during the latter part of the week, there is a chance of warmer weather in the south.
There is a chance of heavier showers later on Friday, which could result in 10-30mm of additional rain in some areas in southern England. Some parts of Powys, Wales, have had 64.2mm of rainfall with more showers expected later on Friday.
The BBC reported that flooding caused the M32 motorway in Bristol to close for several hours. Speed restrictions had to be implemented due to flooding on the M4 westbound at junction 25 for Caerleon near Newport.
