The UK is bracing for a bitterly cold October as temperatures are predicted to drop below zero, marking the first taste of winter for Brits. Weather maps across the UK have turned an icy blue, indicating a harsh Arctic blast set to hit on October 13, with the Met Office forecasting ‘below-average temperatures’.
A low-pressure system from the Atlantic is expected to arrive on October 11 and continue into the weekend, bringing areas of rain. The weekend of October 12 to 13 is anticipated to see “a mixture of unsettled showery spells and longer periods of rain is most likely”, although there will be “some brighter spells with the driest weather in the south”.
WXCHARTS predicts that large parts of Scotland will bear the brunt of the freezing conditions on October 13, with temperatures dropping as low as -2C in many areas. There’s also a high chance of snow in northwest Scotland on October 11.
In Glasgow and Edinburgh, temperatures are forecasted to hover around a frosty -1C-0C. Northern England, Yorkshire, and the West Midlands are expected to experience similarly chilly conditions, with temperatures around -1C.
Other regions, including parts of the east and west Midlands, will see slightly warmer temperatures of around 1C-3C. Wales is also due to feel the chill, with temperatures predicted to drop to 0C-1C, reports the Express.
Despite London, the southeast, and southwest being forecasted to experience the warmest and driest conditions in the country, thermometers will still plunge to between 3-6C due to icy winds arriving from the north.
The Met Office is predicting that temperatures are likely to be ‘trending below-average’ in the week between October 14 to 20, according to its long-range forecast.
The forecaster admitted that “confidence is rather low” throughout the period of October 14 to 28, with fog and frost likely to appear at night. Although there “is a chance of more settled conditions during the second half the month” there remains a reasonable chance that wetter, more unsettled conditions could continue” following a wet September.
Met Office five-day forecast
This evening
Heavy rain will continue to be a theme into this evening, confining itself to eastern areas overnight. Clear spells will however develop, but some showers will push across the south-west and north-east.
Tuesday
The rain will begin to ease off for many, but cloud and windy weather will persist in eastern England. It’s going to be dry elsewhere with bright or sunny spells developing, the Met Office predicts.
The mercury will remain near normal but rather cold in the east.
From Wednesday to Friday
The theme of this week appears to be rain – with showers hitting the south-east from Wednesday and a brighter day for many in the north. Dry and bright weather will creep in late week, but scattered showers are still a risk.