BRITS are set for snow and ice as the early spring heatwave comes to an abrupt end this week.
Forecasters say today will see the last glimpses of the sunny weather that hit Britain over the last week – before a flurry of white stuff hits.
Temperatures have soared to 21C in the past few days, but parts of the UK could dip to as low as -3C before the snow starts to settle.
From Wednesday a band of snow will move down from the north and blanket Scotland and the northern parts of England in around four inches of snow.
“It will be markedly colder than what we’ve just seen, daytime temperatures falling by half, and some areas will even struggle to hit 8C (46.4F), which will signify the biggest change in conditions.”
Met Office forecaster Alex Burkhill said of the extreme change in weather: “Wednesday will be the most extreme in terms of wintry weather, as a cold stream of air will start to push southwards bringing unpredictable wet and windy conditions, even snow or sleet.
“Overnight into Thursday and Friday, many areas will fall considerably lower than freezing, towards minus 4C (24.8F) and minus 5C (23F). It looks like most places will be impacted; parts of northern England, northern Wales and central England are expected to be the worst affected.
“This wintry weather could even push into southern areas of England and Wales, which isn’t unusual; it is normal to have colder weather in April, but it’s far from the sunny, warm days seen last week.”
Read our UK weather blog below for the latest forecasts and updates…
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Joseph Gamp
Manchester forecast for tomorrow
A largely dry start to Monday with variable cloud but scattered showers developing through the day, some of which may be sharp.
Still feeling pleasant in any sunny spells with maximum temperatures of 16 °C.
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Joseph Gamp
What to plant in April
Speaking to Express, gardening guru Chris Bonnett, from GardeningExpress.co.uk, explained that April is the time of the year when our green spaces really begin to ”come to life”.
A must for the ultimate brunch staple, Eggs Benedict, chives are to be planted in the sunny month of April as well.
”Try planting chives and other herbs and letting them germinate on a sunny window sill or in the greenhouse,” the whizz said.
He also added: ”Take care though to sow them sparingly, thinning them out if they become overcrowded.”
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Joseph Gamp
The last chance to do these gardening jobs (2/2)
While your garden will start to thrive with warmer weather, you will also notice an increase in pests such as slugs.
William said you should be preparing preventative measures for this before April arrives.
He explained: “This can be done using natural deterrents like coffee grounds, wood ashes, or sand but can also be done by purchasing products that keep away the slugs using chemicals.”
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Joseph Gamp
The last chance to do these gardening jobs (1/2)
William Mitchel from Sutton Manor Nursery told Express.co.uk that there are a number of last-minute jobs to tackle in March.
William said that you should cut back your plants to make your outdoor space not only visually attractive but also to allow for newer shoots to come through.
He explained: “It is very important to get rid of, or cut back any overgrown grasses or perennial plants that have built up over the winter months and become an eye-sore.”
You should prune flower shrubs like buddleia, clematis, hebes and hydrangeas, and take off dead flowers so you are left with healthier outward-facing bulbs.
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Joseph Gamp
London outlook for Tuesday to Thursday
Sunny spells on Tuesday, with a risk of showers.
Colder from Wednesday as a band of rain sinks south.
Showers likely on Wednesday and Thursday, turning windy in the south.
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Joseph Gamp
‘A change is on the way’
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “Although the UK has had a good deal of fine and settled March weather in recent days, a change is on the way from the middle of next week with colder air spreading down from the north and the increasing likelihood of rain for most areas.
“On the hills in the north, there’s a chance of this falling as snow, although we’ll gain more certainty on that in the coming days.
“With the influence of some unsettled weather, we’ll be seeing a marked drop in temperatures for most with colder air arriving from the north.
“This will see maximum temperatures drop into single figures for many areas, and below freezing overnight.”
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Joseph Gamp
Revellers hit the town to take advantage of 20C weekend scorcher yesterday
REVELLERS are celebrating the arrival of British summertime with huge boozy parties tonight.
The clocks sprang forward an hour at 1am, meaning lighter evenings are finally here.
The change will mean less time for a lie-in on Sunday – but that hasn’t stopped thousands of people heading out to make the most of the night.
After a day of stunning blue skies and 20C sunshine, the streets of major cities are busy with people enjoying a mild evening.
It follows a gorgeous day of weather which saw families head for the coast to enjoy a swim.
Temperatures at this time of year are usually around 12 or 13C, meaning the past few days have given an unusually early blast of summer.
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Joseph Gamp
Increasing likelihood of rain for most parts of the UK this week
Showers are also expected to hit large swathes of the country next week, with many turning into wintry flurries in the freezing temperatures.
Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “Although the UK has had a good deal of fine and settled March weather in recent days, a change is on the way from the middle of next week with colder air spreading down from the north and the increasing likelihood of rain for most areas.
“On the hills in the north, there’s a chance of this falling as snow, although we’ll gain more certainty on that in the coming days.
“With the influence of some unsettled weather, we’ll be seeing a marked drop in temperatures for most with colder air arriving from the north.
“This will see maximum temperatures drop into single figures for many areas, and below freezing overnight.”
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