The return of WINTER! Arctic winds bring SNOW and -1C up north

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Arctic winds battered Britain overnight with thousands waking up to heavy snow, fierce blizzards and temperatures below freezing.  

The bitterly cold weather comes just 24 hours after Britons packed beaches and parks all over the country to bask in warm temperatures of 18C (64.4F) and enjoy the easing of lockdown. 

Monday morning temperatures were far lower as cold northern winds moved over the country with the mercury at -1C up north and barely above freezing in the south. 

Tooting and Clapham in London were the most southerly places in the UK to see snow – despite forecasters saying the south would avoid frost.  

The freezing weather comes as people in England look forward to more lockdown easing on April 12, with the return of beer gardens, takeaway pints and al fresco dining. 

The forecast is still promising for the big reopening with temperatures of up to 14C (57F) expected – but the cold Arctic snap may lead to anxiety in the run-up to next Monday. 

The Met Office has issued three snow and wind warnings – in what is predicted to be a three-day cold snap bringing ‘heavy snow showers’. 

Two binmen cheated death when their 26-ton lorry was flipped onto its side in Leeds by the fierce wind in the middle of a busy carriageway.

The dazed crew escaped from the wreckage of the shattered Mercedes Benz vehicle with minor injuries, as roads were blocked by heavy snow and drivers were forced to dig out their vehicles across the country.

The yellow warnings are in place from 4pm on Sunday until 10am on Tuesday for Scotland, with winds of up to 70mph forecast. 

Coastal areas of eastern England, parts of Wales and Northern Ireland could also see snow showers on Easter Monday.

Southern England can expect to see some sunshine and highs of 7C later in the day, but gusts of up to 30mph will make the temperature ‘feel like’ -1C, forecasters said. 

It comes after the Met Office said highs of 17.9C (64.2F) were recorded in Pershore, Worcestershire, on Easter Sunday. 

The town is expected to see temperatures of 7C (44.6F) on Monday, an 11C fall.

Met Office forecaster Sarah Kent said: ‘We will see this plunge of much colder conditions coming in. It’s Arctic maritime air, which does mean it’s coming from the Arctic.

‘So it’s going to be cold for everybody, but also windy too. The wind chill is going to be significant.’ 

It comes as: 

• The PM will brief the Cabinet today that the conditions have been met to allow shops, gyms and hairdressers to reopen as planned on April 12;
• Mr Johnson will set out a new traffic light system for future foreign travel – but warn it is still too early to book a summer holiday abroad; 
• Fears ‘false positives’ could cripple the UK as Boris unveils plan to test everyone twice a week;
• Scotland reopens hairdressers from today – beating the rest of the UK to the punch once again, although non-essential shops could stay closed for weeks longer;  
• Daily Covid deaths fell to just ten – the lowest figure since September 14, and a reduction of more than 99 per cent since the peak in January.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said: ‘There’ll be a drop of 11 degrees between one day and the next, so you will definitely notice it!’

Mr Partridge explained that a change of wind direction would bring a change in the atmosphere, leading to chilly weather.

He said: ‘The air we had on Sunday came in from the south so it’s pretty mild having come off the continent.

‘Overnight we’ll see a cold front moving southward across the country, it’s already across northern Scotland, and it’ll push its way southward overnight.

‘That will introduce much, much colder air across the whole country.’

Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Mark Sidaway, said: ‘After a settled, warm spell with plenty of sunshine particularly across England and Wales our weather will take a notable change in direction later in the weekend.

‘Very cold Arctic air will move in from the north west through Sunday, bringing snow showers and freezing overnight temperatures.

 ‘The snow showers will predominantly affect the north and west of the UK. The south and east will likely remain drier but still cold with a lower chance of wintry showers.’

Sub-zero temperatures are expected in parts of northern England, while the mercury could drop to -7C in some areas of Scotland.

Snow warnings are in place for northern Scotland, with as much as 15cm falling in higher areas.

Met Office yellow warnings are in place until 10am on Tuesday for Scotland, with winds of up to 70mph forecast.

The east and west coasts of the country are likely to see a ‘wintry mix’ of showers, which may include some hail.

Areas away from the coast are expected to be dry and bright, but with strong winds and below average temperatures, largely in the mid-single figures.

The wind will play a key factor in today’s weather, as while southern England may see highs of up to 7C, gusts up to 30mph may make the temperature feel closer to freezing.

Average temperatures for this time of year are around 10 to 12C but parts of the UK saw the mercury reach nearly 24C (75.2F) on Wednesday.

Some Britons will be anxious at the prospect of today’s cold snap stretching to next week. 

From April 12, beer gardens will be allowed to reopen and al-fresco dining will also return in the next stage of Britain’s lockdown exit roadmap. 

Barbers and hair stylists across the UK will also open and many have revealed how they are fully booked up for two weeks from when they reopen, as millions of Britons rush to get rid of their lockdown locks.

Salons can once again welcome customers back to the chair for the first time this year on April 12.

And it appears many are desperate to get back, with scores of businesses not having any remaining slots for haircuts.

Care home residents will also be reunited with more loved ones in a major easing of restrictions.

Lockdown rules will be relaxed so they can have two regular visitors from Monday, April 12, instead of the current one.

Residents will be able to meet two nominated relatives or friends indoors and hold hands but the guests will have to wear PPE and be tested in advance.  

Babies and very young children will also be able to join in for the first time without being counted as one of the visitors.

It means some grandparents and great-grandparents will be able to meet the newest members of their families for the first time.

Care minister Helen Whately said: ‘We want to go further… and our aim is to make visiting to care homes as normal as possible by the summer.’

Boris Johnson will also today unveil a new traffic light system to resume international travel which will allow Britons to go on summer holidays to countries with high vaccination rates amid fears many European nations will be on the banned list.

The PM’s new system will see destinations rated as red, amber and green using criteria including the percentage of the population that has been vaccinated, the rate of infection, any emerging variants and the country’s access to reliable data and genomic sequencing.

The criteria could result in European countries like France and Italy being ruled out of bounds for British holidaymakers as parts of the EU suffer spikes in coronavirus cases and the bloc’s vaccination drive continues to stall.

Under the Government’s scheme, sunseekers returning from countries in the green category will not have to isolate, although they will need to have tests before and after they fly.

Those coming back from red list countries would have to quarantine in a hotel for ten days, while arrivals from amber destinations will have to isolate at home.

The Prime Minister will re-affirm May 17 will be the earliest that foreign holidays can resume and the new system comes into effect. But he will say he is unable to advise yet whether any countries will be classed as green on this date.