The UK is bracing for a cold snap as temperatures drop to freezing in some parts of the nation despite spring officially starting. New weather maps from WX Charts show the mercury plunging as low as -1C at the start of April. The maps show cold weather across the country on Thursday, April 3, with temperatures of -1C in Newcastle and Wales. According to the Met Office long-range forecast, which runs until Saturday April 5, the nights will be cold during this period due to clear skies coinciding with light winds.
Elsewhere on April 3, Plymouth, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Inverness, Bristol, Leeds and Belfast will see temperatures as low as 0C at 6am. Meanwhile, there will be low temperatures of 1C in Birmingham and Manchester at the same time. The day will remain cold with temperatures remaining at -1C in Newcastle at 12pm. At the same time, the mercury will be as low as 0C in Cardiff and and 1C in Manchester and the Midlands.
Although temperatures won’t be as low as 0C, southern and eastern parts of England will also see chilly weather on April 3. According to WX Charts, the mercury will be as low as 2C in London and 4C in Southampton at 6am. By 6pm in the evening, there will be low temperatures of 3C in Cardiff, Bristol and the Midlands while Newcastle will see the mercury at 4C. There will also be lows of 4C in Edinburgh and 5C in Inverness.
As well as the cold weather, the Met Office is predicting “wetter” and “unsettled conditions” at the end of March and start of April. The forecaster says the North and North West are more likely to be hit by heavy rain and strong winds while there will be drier weather in southern areas of the UK.
In its long-range forecast from Friday, March 28 until Sunday, April 6, the Met Office says there will be “changeable weather patterns” across the UK. There will be a “mixture of showers or longer spells of rain” as well as some brighter periods.
Cities braced for temperatures of 0C or colder
According to WX Charts, the following UK cities will be hit by temperatures of 0C or colder on Thursday, April 3:
- Newcastle
- Cardiff
- Bristol
- Plymouth
- Edinburgh
- Leeds
- Belfast
- Inverness
