A cold northerly flow continues to dominate our weather, bringing a mixture of overnight frosts, daytime sunny spells and scattered showers. This classic early spring pattern delivers chilly conditions, with the bulk of showers affecting northern and eastern areas.
We're into a run of chilly northerly winds now, common in the early spring. These winds have produced many a late snowfall in the past, but in a time of globally rising temperatures this is less likely nowadays. But it'll still be cold enough in the next few days, chiefly on hills, for some wintriness in passing showers that'll occasionally be enhanced by embedded troughs moving south within the overall flow.
Expect further cold nights giving mostly slight frosts, but the days will often be bright with sunny spells. Despite this, temperatures on the whole will be a little below normal for the time of year, but it'll feel pleasant enough in the sunshine where you can find shelter. Winds of polar origin, however, although chilly, do have benefits as they generally bring excellent visibility and good air quality.
One of those embedded troughs saw a band of showers moving through southern England this morning that were wintry on hills. While moving away now, snow was reported from parts of Gloucestershire, so you'll need to 'wrap up' well for the second day of the Cheltenham Festival despite some sunshine here this Wednesday afternoon. Northern Ireland, Dumfries and Galloway and some other more sheltered western areas will also see good sunny spells, but there'll also be showers.
These'll be most frequent in the North and East, falling as snow on higher hills, with hail and sleet at lower levels in some of the heavier ones with fewer showers elsewhere. A cold North or North West wind will be gusty and feel raw in showers, with temperatures no higher than 5 to 7C over Scotland and 7 to 9C further south.
The showers, wintry in places giving mostly hill snow, tend to become confined to the North and East of Scotland, eastern England and coasts exposed to a northerly wind after dark, although almost anywhere could still catch an isolated one. Where skies clear, a frost is expected, with temperatures falling as low as -3 or -4C in the coldest spots, but -1 to +2C will be a more general minimum depending on cloud cover.
An anticyclone to the West and low pressure on the nearby continent maintains the overall cold northerly flow into Thursday, with just subtle changes. There'll be sunny spells especially in the West and towards the south coast, but with further showers. The North and East continue to see the bulk of them, some quite sharp, giving local hail, sleet and hill snow. Through the afternoon, an embedded trough may bring more frequent showers to Northern Ireland and the Western Isles later.
After an early frost and with the air of Arctic origin, it'll be another chilly day. Across the board, top temperatures reach 5 to 9C again, with a few well sheltered places along the south coast and towards the South West perhaps briefly up to 10C.
After dark, Northern Ireland and Scotland may see more in the way of showers, with the eastern half of England continuing to see some as well. These again could be wintry in places giving mainly hill snow. Elsewhere, fewer showers and clearer skies will lead to another frost, with lowest temperatures -3 but +3C where you keep cloud.
Further showers, wintry in places, are likely on Friday, but as pressure rises, the weekend becomes mainly dry, with longer sunny spells making it a little milder.
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