22/02/2016 Weather for the Week Ahead

Yesterday I mentioned what a fascinating week we have

ahead of us as the weather goes from one distinct mode to another.

It felt like early spring across some parts of the UK through

this weekend with some sunshine and temperatures

I know we are approaching March,

but some of the coldest air over the winter so far through this week.

There will be some sunshine - that's good news -

but there will be some widespread frosts at night

and a few wintry showers thrown in for good measure.

In fact, we start Monday with some wintry showers across the

heart of Scotland, staying mostly up over the high ground.

A wet, dismal start to the day across southern counties

and that rain lingering on and off for much of the day,

particularly down towards the south coast.

The brightest of the weather will be further north but it will be

chilly and those temperatures really knocked on the head

across the more central and southern areas compared with the weekend.

Six or seven degrees will be typical.

As we go through Monday night into Tuesday morning, that weather front

is still lurking with intent across southern coastal areas,

so further rain, maybe a bit of sleet up over the high ground.

A band of wintry showers pushing down across the north

of Scotland, but actually in between a lot of sunshine,

bright and crisp and sunny for the most part but feeling chilly, yes.

Five, six, seven degrees again will be typical.

That rain finally clearing away from the south coast.

On into Wednesday, another little band of wintry showers is

pushing down across the country. There could be some snowfall

over the high ground but it shouldn't amount to a great deal.

The vast majority of us will stay dry with plenty of sunshine,

but that nagging northerly breeze will knock

the temperatures on the head for sure.

What you will notice through the middle part of this week is

some very cold nights.

The blues take over, indicating some particularly sharp frosts

through the middle part of this week with clear skies and light winds.

In fact, across the snowfields of Scotland

we could get as low as -10 degrees.

And then we start to look to the west,

with this weather front pushing in off the Atlantic.

It's not there yet and for most of us

on Thursday it will be another largely dry day.

Still, a brisk wind across eastern coastal areas

could carry one or two wintry showers,

but once more many of us will have fine weather.

If you wear a few layers

and get out of that breeze it shouldn't feel too bad.

There's no doubt about it, it will be chilly, particularly

when those wintry showers come along.

By Friday, those fronts trying to push in from the west

but slow progress and many places

probably again ending the week on a dry note.

Will be a chilly one after a frosty start.

You would expect these fronts usually to continue to come

in from the west but that's not the case on this occasion.

And the reason for that is the jet stream.

Just watch how it takes a huge diversion northwards towards

Greenland, and that means downstream it dips southwards and takes

that area of low pressure and fronts down towards France and Spain.

This is where we think it will be next weekend.

Now, there is a small chance that this low pressure could be

closer towards us and as it bumps into the cold air

that would give some significant snowfall, but at this stage

we think next weekend that low will be to the south of us

and what we will have is a run of brisk easterly winds,

and really chilly winds as well with that cold air in place.

And that theme, we think, continues into March.

There are developments elsewhere in the atmosphere which indicate

that this cold spell could last some significant time

with the hard frosts at night and the risk of some snowfall.

We will keep you posted and update you again tomorrow.