Brits are set for a wild weather ride with a late October mini-heatwave sending temperatures soaring as high as Madrid, before a dramatic drop could bring snow showers by the end of the week.
The UK is bracing for a sizzling 17C in some spots on October 29, but don’t ditch your winter coat just yet – the mercury is expected to plummet by up to 15C within hours.
The Scottish Highlands could shiver at -4C, while elsewhere hovers around zero, a sharp contrast to the balmy days ahead. Wales and Northern Ireland will bask in 13C to 15C, matching the warmth across the Irish Sea.
But the Met Office has dropped a chilly bombshell in its 10-day forecast, hinting at “some snow over high ground” as the nation wraps up against the cold snap. While some Brits soak up the sun, others could face gloomy skies, rain, and even “snow showers” up north, with temperatures tipped to tumble below average.
The long-range forecast from October 31 to November 9 reveals: “Following the introduction of some colder air to many areas at the start of this period, with the potential for snow showers in at least northern Scotland, high pressure looks to be the dominant feature during the first part of November,” reports the Mirror.
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“The main uncertainty is in the position and orientation of the high, which will determine whether the UK remains in a relatively cold air mass or whether somewhat milder conditions return.
“Given the presence of high pressure, overnight frost and fog are more likely than normal, with temperatures perhaps more likely to be below average overall. Towards mid-November, there are hints that the high pressure may relax its grip on the UK, allowing rather more unsettled conditions to become established.”
The charts indicate that temperatures could hit 18C in and around London on Wednesday, October 30. Northern England appears set for similar highs, potentially reaching up to 17C.
In Elgin, Scotland, north of typically chilly Aberdeen, highs could reach 16C. These Halloween highs follow another recent heatwave that saw temperatures in some parts of the country surge back into the 20C range.
Earlier this month, the Met Office predicted highs would surge to between 20C in “some spots” and suggested that maximums of 22C would not be “out of the question”.