London weather forecast: Temperatures to plummet as low as 9C with Arctic blast to bring cold snap to capital

London weather forecast: Temperatures to plummet as low as 9C with Arctic blast to bring cold snap to capital

London is braced for a chilly weekend with a blast of cold air from the north pushing temperatures into single digits.

The capital will barely escape single-figure temperatures on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Met Office forecast, while parts of Scotland could see snow.

No weather warnings have been issued, but the prediction is for temperatures well below London's October average of 16°C.

For Saturday, Alex Deakin, of the Met Office, said: “It will be a cold weekend.

“There is quite a lot of cloud around for most of us with some seeing some rain, which will push down to the south east.”

London and the south east will top out at around 16C but will “turn colder” throughout the night and into Sunday.

“With clearing skies and the air coming down from the north, it is going to turn quite chilly,” he added.

There will be some snow on the Scottish mountains, in addition.

“Temperatures will be going into freezing in rural spots... but even (even in the south) it could be chilly,” Mr Deakin said.

Sunday morning will be below 10C but it will creep up to double figures in the capital in the afternoon.

It should warm up into next week, however.

A forecast on the Met Office website added: “It will be cloudy on Monday, with a spell of rain through the middle of the day. Cloudy with showers Tuesday, with strengthening winds. Cloudy with heavy rain or showers Wednesday. Turning much milder.”

The longer range forecast said: “Following the rain, a drier and brighter interlude is probable, before conditions turn unsettled once again by next weekend.”

Earlier this week, the BBC issued an apology after a technical glitch on its weather website and app led to “hurricane force wind” forecasts for the UK.