Cold blast of Arctic air to bring freezing temperatures to UK

The Met Office has said that temperatures will drop below freezing later this week.

Cold air from the Arctic is forecast to sweep into the UK on Thursday. (Met Office)
Cold air from the Arctic is forecast to sweep into the UK on Wednesday and Thursday. (Met Office)

Temperatures are set to fall below freezing as a cold blast of Arctic air hits the UK this week.

The weather system will move southwards towards the UK on Tuesday, reaching Scotland and the north of England on Wednesday.

Temperatures are forecast to plunge as a result, falling as low as -4C in rural parts of Scotland and -3C in the countryside of the south of England on Friday morning, the Met Office told Yahoo News UK.

On Wednesday morning, temperatures could drop to -3C in rural Scotland, according to the Met Office, while overnight lows on Thursday could be -2C in Scotland and -2C in the south west of England, before plunging even further on Friday morning.

Met Office spokesperson Andrea Bishop told Yahoo News UK: "Things also look to turn colder as Arctic air moves in.

"Temperatures dip in the north from Wednesday, and by Thursday, all areas are expected to experience below average temperatures, with many daytime highs likely single figures.

"Night frosts are expected for some regions, and snow is possible for the higher mountains of Scotland."

The cold snap later this week will be preceded by more rain, as the wet weather continues to bombard the country, with another yellow thunderstorm warning issued for much of England on Tuesday.

There had been fears that Hurricane Kirk, which subsequently weakened to become an extratropical storm, could pass through the UK this week, bringing heavy rain and high winds to the south coast.

However, the Met Office said on Monday that the tail end of Kirk would not hit British shores.

It said: "We have been keeping a close eye on the track of ex-Hurricane Kirk as it travels across the Atlantic.

"There is increasing confidence now that it will track to the south of the UK. The threat of significant impacts to the UK from this system are now much reduced."

On Tuesday, the Met Office forecast that the system would pass along northern Portugal and northern Spain on Wednesday before having a significant impact on western and central areas of France.

Yahoo breaks down what the weather will be like for each region of the UK, according to the Met Office.

  • Tuesday and Wednesday

Dry with sunny spells at first, but showers will soon spread northwards across all parts from late morning. The showers will become heavy and possibly thundery in the afternoon and evening. Risk of hail. Temperatures near normal. Light winds. Maximum temperature 18°C.

Further heavy and possibly thundery showers continuing early in the night. The showers gradually clearing southeastwards during the early hours. Becoming drier by dawn. A mild night. Breezy along coasts. Minimum temperature 10°C.

A cloudy start to Wednesday, but brightening up for many, with further heavy showers likely from late morning, but less widespread than on Tuesday. Turning cloudier with patchy rain by evening. Breezy. Maximum temperature 17°C.

  • Thursday to Saturday

Early cloud and patchy rain soon clearing on Thursday, becoming drier and brighter, with some coastal showers. Feeling colder. Drier and brighter on Friday and Saturday. Overnight rural frost possible.

  • Tuesday and Wednesday

A misty and murky start for some, then brightening up with sunny intervals but plenty of heavy showers. Slow-moving thundery downpours are possible in places. Breezy along the south coast. Maximum temperature 16°C.

Further heavy showers this evening and overnight mixed with some clear spells though generally easing by dawn. Staying breezy in the south though rather mild. Minimum temperature 10°C.

Any low cloud and fog soon lifting to leave another day of sunshine and showers on Wednesday, though these generally fewer and lighter than on Tuesday. Turning breezier. Maximum temperature 18°C.

  • Thursday to Saturday

Drier on Thursday with a few showers in the west. Largely fine on Friday with sunshine, with further showers into Saturday. Turning colder with patchy fog and frost possible overnight.

  • Tuesday and Wednesday

A misty and murky start for some, then brightening up with sunny intervals but plenty of heavy showers also developing. These may turn thundery and slow-moving by the afternoon. Maximum temperature 16°C.

Further heavy, possibly thundery showers this evening and overnight mixed with some clear spells, easing somewhat by dawn. Mist and fog patches may develop my dawn and staying rather mild. Minimum temperature 10°C.

Another day of sunshine and showers on Wednesday, though generally less heavy and less frequent than on Tuesday. Turning breezier later. Maximum temperature 15°C.

  • Thursday to Saturday

Drier on Thursday with a few showers in the west. Largely fine on Friday with sunshine, with further showers into Saturday. Turning colder with patchy fog and frost possible overnight.

A woman walks her dog by fallen autumnal leaves at priory park in Warwick, after thundery showers on Monday brought big downpours in places, with surface water on the roads and lightning and hail. Picture date: Tuesday October 8, 2024.
A woman with her hood up walks her dog by fallen autumnal leaves at Priory Park in Warwick, Warwickshire, on Tuesday. (Alamy)
  • Tuesday and Wednesday

A dry start in the far north, before bands of showers or longer spells of rain, heavy at times, move northwards across all parts during the day. Feeling cool underneath the cloud and rain. Winds will remain light. Maximum temperature 13°C.

Rather cloudy with further persistent rain, heavy at times, this evening and overnight, especially towards the south of the region. Becoming breezy, especially along the coast. Feeling cooler. Minimum temperature 6°C.

A cloudy start to Wednesday, with further outbreaks of showery rain, slowly clearing eastwards during the day. Windy, with the risk of gales along the coasts. Feeling cooler, especially on windward coasts. Maximum temperature 11°C.

  • Thursday to Saturday

Breezy and feeling colder, with a mixture of sunny spells and showers on Thursday. Largely dry with sunny spells on Friday and Saturday. Breezy and feeling colder. Overnight frost possible.

A local resident checks on the A1101 at Welney in Norfolk which is submerged by flooding from the Old Bedford River and the River Delph, leaving locals facing a 22 mile diversion. Thunderstorms and heavy rain may cause travel disruption across parts of southern England and Wales, after a yellow thunderstorm warning was issued by the Met Office from Monday afternoon across much of South Wales, South West England, and parts of southern England. Picture date: Monday October 7, 2024.
A local resident checks on the A1101 at Welney in Norfolk which is submerged by flooding from the Old Bedford River and the River Delph. (PA)
  • Tuesday and Wednesday

Any remaining overnight rain easing across Cumbria. Otherwise, gradually brightening up but with further showers, these becoming heavier and more widespread by the evening. Winds staying light. Maximum temperature 16°C.

Further heavy, possibly thundery showers this evening and overnight, merging to give longer spells of rain. Breezy across Cumbria by dawn. Minimum temperature 8°C.

A damp day on Wednesday with spells of rain sinking southwards. Turning windier through the day and feeling colder by the evening with a touch of frost overnight. Maximum temperature 14°C.

  • Thursday to Saturday

Chilly start on Thursday but drier with sunny spells. Scattered showers on Friday and Saturday. Breezy at times and colder with frost and fog patches overnight.

  • Tuesday and Wednesday

Some brightness across western areas through the day, particularly through the afternoon, but elsewhere staying largely cloudy with outbreaks of rain, the rain perhaps heavier and more persistent in the afternoon. Maximum temperature 13°C.

Cloud and rain at first on Wednesday, clearing south through the morning. Then turning colder with clear or sunny spells and showers, wintry on hills. Strong northerly winds, coastal gales at times. Maximum temperature 10°C.

  • Thursday to Saturday

Cold and mainly dry with sunny or clear spells Thursday, the odd shower possible. Showers or longer spells of rain Friday and Saturday, drier in the east. Overnight frosts.

  • Tuesday and Wednesday

Cloudy with outbreaks of rain through the morning, occasionally heavy and more persistent in the southeast, the rain becoming lighter and patchier through the afternoon. Driest in the northeast. Freshening northeasterly winds. Maximum temperature 14°C.

Cloudy across Northern Ireland through the evening and overnight. Some outbreaks of rain mostly in eastern counties, drier in the west. Fresh to strong northerly winds. Minimum temperature 8°C.

Turning colder on Wednesday but generally brighter with sunny spells and showers with a risk of overnight frost. Fresh to strong northerly winds. Maximum temperature 11°C.

  • Thursday to Saturday

Staying colder with further sunny spells and showers Thursday. Showers or perhaps longer spells of rain on Friday and Saturday.

  • Tuesday and Wednesday

A misty and murky start for some, then brightening up with sunny intervals but plenty of heavy showers also developing. Slow-moving thundery downpours are possible in places. Temperatures above average. Maximum temperature 16°C.

Further heavy, possibly thundery showers this evening and overnight mixed with some clear spells. Mist and fog patches may develop my dawn and staying rather mild. Minimum temperature 10°C.

Any low cloud and fog on Wednesday soon lifting to leave sunshine and showers, though generally fewer and lighter showers than on Tuesday. Turning breezy. Maximum temperature 17°C.

  • Thursday to Saturday

Drier on Thursday with a few showers in the west. Largely fine on Friday with sunshine, with further showers into Saturday. Turning colder with patchy fog and frost possible overnight.