Snow forecast in the UK – UK will be colder than SWEDEN this week in -5C dips with wintry showers in the north
THE UK will be colder than SWEDEN next week as the temperature will drop to -5C.
Winter showers are expected to hit northern England as a 1,000-mile-wide “Russian cold” will usher in the coldest start to May in 25 years.
Widespread frost also in the south and the odd snow change in the north will cover the country when the weather goes “reversed” after the extraordinary 23C Easter heat wave.
It will force the British to change shorts for coats because the northeasterly wind chill makes 11-16C for most people feels like only 9-14C this week.
But London may be exempt some days at 17C.
And -5C nights are on the cards in the north, with -2C also in parts of the south.
This means that the UK will be colder than the warmer 3C nights in Stockholm, Sweden.
A night that falls below 1.8 C at Heathrow would be the coldest May temperature at the airport since 1997, according to the Met Office.
But thankfully it gets mostly dry, with a mix of clouds and sun.
The cool explosion is expected to last seven days into the weekend in May.
This comes despite a glorious weekend of sunshine and blue skies that have seen Britain sunbathe in temperatures warmer than Madrid and the Algarve.
On Sunday, the mercury has risen to 18C while the Algarve can only handle 17C – with lots of rain showers.
Britain also enjoys the warm temperatures that have continued to bring joy up and down the country since the holiday.
But the latest heavy rains in Spain and Portugal have put a damper on British holidays after thousands ran away for an Easter break.
This led many to question why they even left grilled Britain during the Easter weekend with a rabbit pan.
Meteorologist Matt Hugo said: “Will it be the coldest start to May in quite some time? The northern weather into early May is gaining momentum.”
While ex-BBC and Met Office forecaster John Hammond from weather trends said: “Mercury will go back, with a cooler trend until the end of April.
“Fresh waves of Arctic air mean a good chance, even over the south of Britain, that temperatures will fall close to or below freezing.
“One or two winter showers are not ruled out later in the week, probably on higher ground in the north.”
A Met Office forecaster said: “Northeasterly winds will provide cooler air, with chilly nights and widespread frost possible.
“Temperatures are slightly below or close to normal into early May, with mainly dry conditions this week but rain showers possible in the north.”