Freezing nights forecast for parts of UK, with snow possible in some areas

A pink full moon sets behind Edinburgh Castle. Scotland could experience freezing temperatures on Wednesday night and Thursday. Photograph: Tom Duffin/Solent News & Photo Agency

Freezing overnight temperatures will hit parts of the UK on Wednesday and Thursday, with experts warning some areas could see snow.

The cold Arctic air is expected to cause frosts across parts of northern England and Scotland, with temperatures going as low as -3C.

The Met Office predicted there could be snow on higher ground, with northerly winds bringing chilly nights and below-average temperatures. However, the chilly conditions are expected to subside by the weekend.

Ellie Glaisyer, a meteorologist at the Met Office, said the chillier temperatures experienced in April were “nothing exceptional” and are expected to move closer to their seasonal averages over the weekend and into the start of next week.

She said that on Wednesday and Thursday night, “there will be some frost in places”, adding: “The reason for [the low temperatures] is that we’ve got an area of high pressure out towards the west of the UK and that gives us a northerly wind across the UK.

“So it’s those northerly winds that are bringing us to slightly below-average temperatures, particularly across eastern parts of the UK, as the air is coming from towards the Arctic.”

Average April temperatures are usually around 14C to 15C across the country but so far this month conditions have been colder, closer to 10C in the south-east of England.

There is also a risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms in southern parts of the UK over the weekend, with Glaisyer saying the colder temperatures are expected to last for the next few days.

Eastern England is expected to experience particularly chilly weather, before temperatures rise over the weekend and possibly even exceed their seasonal averages by 1C or 2C in places.

Freezing temperatures expected overnight in Scotland and northern England could possibly extend as far as rural parts of Wales and some parts of central England over the next two days, she added.

But Glaisyer said the weather conditions were “nothing exceptional, just a little below average for the time of year”.