UK Easter holidays weather: Forecasters warn of snow in Scotland and heavy rain elsewhere

Easter holiday WASHOUT: Forecasters warn of snow in Scotland and heavy rain and sub-zero temperatures across the rest of UK this week

  • Windy conditions and downpours will feature in most areas of UK during first week of Easter school holidays 
  • Slightly milder for next few days with temperatures at up to 14C (57F) before it turns colder again on Thursday
  • Met Office issues snow warning for Scotland from 4pm tomorrow with up to 6in/15cm settling on high ground
  • It comes after very cold weekend saw temperatures drop to -7.5C (18.5F) and daytime highs of just 13.9C (57F)

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Britain is set for an unsettled week of further snow, heavy rain and sub-zero temperatures during the first week of the Easter school holidays with daytime highs only just getting to average levels for the time of year.

Windy conditions and downpours will feature in most areas this week, although it will be slightly milder for the next few days with temperatures at between 12C (54F) to 14C (57F) before it turns colder again on Thursday. 

The Met Office has issued a snow warning for Scotland affecting Aberdeen and Inverness from 4pm tomorrow until 11am on Wednesday with up to 6in (15cm) settling on high ground and 2in (5cm) at lower levels.

It comes after a very cold weekend which saw temperatures drop to -7.5C (18.5F) and daytime highs of just 13.9C (57F) – less than a fortnight after the warmest day of 2022 so far when London got to 20.8C (69.4F) on March 23. 

Later this week, overnight temperatures could again drop below 0C (32F). Met Office forecaster Jonathan Vautrey said: ‘The general theme is for the weather to be unsettled. There will be a damp and cloudy start to the working week for most with further outbreaks of rain on Tuesday and Wednesday in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England. There will also be a more persistent band of rain across southern areas by Thursday.’

Commuters shelter under umbrellas as they walk through Westminster during the morning rush hour today

A Ryanair aircraft struggles to land this morning at Leeds Bradford Airport amid strong winds battering the North of England

A Ryanair aircraft struggles to land this morning at Leeds Bradford Airport amid strong winds battering the North of England

The week got off to a very soggy start across the UK this morning with the heaviest of rain in Scotland and Northern Ireland, although rain will turn to isolated showers for England into this afternoon.

Today will be generally cloudy with few outbreaks of sunshine, and there will be a strong breeze. Highs of 14C (57F) are expected in England and Scotland, 13C (55F) in Wales and 12C (54F) in Northern Ireland.

There will be a dry and partly clear start to this evening for southern England but it will be staying wet elsewhere, while showers will increase after midnight for southern areas as well as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Similar conditions are expected tomorrow when it will be mostly cloudy with a band of rain developing for northern England, preceded by hill snow for Scotland – for which the Met Office has issued a warning .

This warning alerts the public to disruption and states that ‘persistent rain over northern Scotland will increasingly turn to snow over high ground during Tuesday, then perhaps to lower levels in the afternoon and evening’. 

Forecasters say up to 2.8in (7cm) is expected between 100m (330ft) and 200m (650ft), and possibly 4in (10cm) above 300m (985ft). By tomorrow night, rain and snow is likely to become focused further north across Scotland.

The Met Office has issued a snow warning for tomorrow

The Met Office has issued a snow warning for tomorrow

There is also a chance of up to 2in (5cm) settling at low levels by Wednesday morning and 6in (15cm) above 300m (985ft) – which the Met Office said is most likely across Caithness, Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty.

Temperatures tomorrow are expected to get up to 13C (55F) in southern England, 12C (54F) in the North, 9C (48F) in Scotland, and 11C (52F) in Cardiff and Belfast.

The band of rain and snow is then likely to move back southwards across Scotland during Wednesday, slowly easing. It will be drier further south but staying cloudy for all, with moderate winds in England and Wales.

Forecasters expect a wet start for most places on Wednesday, with the South staying dry for some time. There will also be more widespread showers in the afternoon with a moderate breeze.

Wednesday’s top temperatures are set to be 12C (54F) in southern England, 10C (50F) in the North, 8C (46F) in Scotland and 10C (50F) in Northern Ireland.

Thursday will be a wet day for the South of England, with some wintry showers in Scotland – but it will be dry elsewhere with sunny spells further North. Temperatures will be 12C (54F) in southern England, 9C (48F) in the North, 9C (48F) in Wales and 8C (46F) in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

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