A heatwave then an Arctic blast...now Britain faces deluge
BRITAIN faces a battering from wind and rain after temperatures plummeted at the weekend.
It will be the next twist in the crazy May weather, with storms, sub-zero temperatures and a mini-heatwave.
The mercury will rise from today after weekend lows of -6C (22F) brought widespread frosts.
Highs of 66F (19C) are forecast in London and the South, with 55F in the North.
Met Office forecaster Emma Sillitoe said: “Monday will be cold in the North with temperatures close to freezing overnight bringing the risk of frost.
“It is turning unsettled from Tuesday as a band of rain pushes in from the west.
“Showers will be heavy on Wednesday and it is turning quite windy.
“We could see the odd rumble of thunder with a risk of hail towards the end of the week.
“Temperatures will be up from the weekend with highs of 12-13C (53-55F) in the North and 18-19C (64-66F) in London.”
Britons shivered during a chilly weekend that saw thermometers plunge from last week’s hottest May spell in four years.
Experts blame an unusually changeable jet stream which moved south, allowing bitter cold Arctic air to sweep the country.
Its northerly position earlier in the month dragged warm winds up from the Continent pushing thermometers above 81F.
Choppy
Forecasters say that after a choppy week ahead it will be all change again from the weekend, with conditions warming up again towards the end of May.
James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said: “We are looking at a rather unsettled spell of weather with widespread showers for many from the middle of the week.
“This will be accompanied by strengthening and rather windy conditions.
“Throughout the weekend and into next week we will begin to see the start of some much warmer weather pushing in across the south and east of the country from dominant high pressure.”
Netweather forecaster Nick Finnis said: “The second half of next week is looking more unsettled for all areas, with spells of rain or sunshine and showers.
“But it will at least be warmer – especially where the sun comes out.”
As the weather continues to keep forecasters on their toes, bookmakers are cashing in on the wildly variable conditions.
With warmer temperatures on the horizon Coral has slashed the odds from 10-1 to 2-1 on the summer of 2016 turning out to be the hottest on record.
Spokesman John Hill said: “The gamble behind this summer being the hottest on record is gathering pace.
“Punters think we are set for a record-breaking year, leaving the bookmakers sweating over a big pay-out.
“If temperatures continue to rise this summer we could see records fall at Wimbledon where we are now odds-on for the average tournament temperature to be broken.”