Snow could strike UK in days as temperatures plummet to -1C in sudden cold snap

Autumn is due to arrive tomorrow

Forecasters are warning of the possibility of sub-zero temperatures and show might also appear in some areas.

The Indian Summer, which has seen a record-breaking September and a warm start to October is expected to melt away this week as mid-October approaches, The Mirror reported Wednesday.

The average temperature for October is 16C; On Sunday, in London's Kew Gardens, it reached 25.8C.

In the next few days, it is expected to fall 10C.

Heavy rain is expected Wednesday, and is due to last until Friday midnight with a yellow weather warning in place.

The warning covers all of Wales, part of the West Midlands including Birmingham, and everything south of Cambridge. It’s unclear whether the rain is likely to be anywhere near as severe as the weather that hit Scotland last week, turning railway lines into canals and causing travel chaos.

Weather maps show the early hours of Thursday could reach just -1C in Northern Ireland.

Met Office meteorologist Clare Nasir said: “A wet evening and a wet night into Thursday morning. But clearer skies further north that will allow temperatures to dip to single figures and close to freezing across rural spots. So Northern Ireland could see lowest temperature around minus one degree Celsius. The glens of Scotland perhaps down to around zero."

However, Nasir added several central southern England could cling onto double figures.

The national weather agency has also issued a yellow weather warning for rain from 6am today until 6pm this evening, stating: "Heavy rain is likely to cause some disruption to travel." Elsewhere, it goes on to say: "The heaviest rain is expected to be across Wales on Wednesday, with some central and southern parts of England and Wales potentially having a very wet day on Friday.

"Further north, there will be some sunshine, but also some showers, which will turn heavier, more frequent later in the week and, as colder conditions become established from the north, some snow is likely for Scottish mountains.

"All parts of the UK will turn much cooler by the weekend, with daytime temperatures potentially up to 10C colder than earlier this week across southern England. The first widespread overnight frost of the season is also likely across many central and northern areas over the weekend."

Some weather maps suggest snow will hit Scotland at 4am Sunday.

Far north parts of England, including Northumberland, are also expected to see snowfall at roughly 2cm per hour.

The long-range forecast from the Met Office for this Sunday, also mentioned "the possibility of hail and thunderstorms, as well as snow on higher ground" - but has since been altered.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Brent Walker told Metro that by the weekend "we expect all regions of the UK to be in the cold airmass and overnight frosts are possible."

He added: "With high pressure continuing to dominate our weather early next week, it will start largely fine, settled, and cool by day, with cold nights and a risk of rural air frosts in places.

"Any early morning mist or fog should clear quickly and there could be a few showers possible around some coasts at times."

Related links:

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