A blast of cold Arctic air is sweeping across the UK, bringing a mix of snow, hail and thunderstorms along with strong winds and a sharp drop in temperatures.
The wintry conditions mark a brief but notable return to winter-like weather, despite the country moving further into spring.
Cold winds and wintry showers
Brisk north to north-westerly winds are dominating conditions, with gusts reaching up to 60mph in parts of south-west England.
While there will be sunny intervals, many areas—particularly northern Scotland, north-west England and north-west Wales—are expected to see frequent showers.
With colder air in place, some of these showers will turn wintry, bringing hail and even thunder in places. Snow is most likely over higher ground, though lower levels in northern Scotland could also see snowfall.
Temperatures below average
Daytime temperatures are expected to range between 5C and 10C, which is below average for late March.
However, the strong winds will make it feel significantly colder, with “feels like” temperatures dropping close to freezing in some areas.
Overnight, clear skies and lighter winds will allow temperatures to fall further, leading to a risk of widespread frost, especially across eastern Scotland and north-east England.
Conditions to improve later in the week
The colder spell is expected to ease from Thursday as winds shift direction, bringing slightly milder air from the west or south-west.
With lighter winds and more sunshine, conditions will feel less harsh, although temperatures will only gradually recover.
By Friday, highs could reach between 7C and 13C, closer to seasonal averages.
Unsettled weekend ahead
Despite the brief improvement, the weather is set to remain unsettled heading into the weekend.
Further showers are expected, with Scotland potentially seeing another spell of wintry weather on Saturday.
By Sunday, more persistent rain and stronger winds are likely to move in from the west.
Clocks set to change
Sunday will also mark the start of British Summer Time (BST), as clocks move forward by one hour.
While this means losing an hour of sleep, it will bring longer evenings, with sunset times stretching towards 8pm across parts of the UK.
A reminder of unpredictable spring weather
The sudden return of wintry conditions highlights the UK’s typically unpredictable spring climate, where mild sunshine can quickly give way to cold snaps.
For now, forecasters advise keeping warm and prepared for rapidly changing conditions over the coming days.
