A tale of two Brrrrritains
Snow, hail and an 11C plunge in temperatures... just 24 hours after we basked in spring sunshine
SNOW, hail and bitterly cold winds made it feel like mid-winter in much of the UK yesterday – just 24 hours after families flocked to the beach and packed parks in warm spring sunshine.
Britain’s topsy-turvy weather turned T- shirt conditions on Sunday into a time for warm coats, hats and gloves on the bank holiday
Some people woke up to frosty scenery after an Arctic weather system moved down from Scotland into England.
Maximum temperatures dropped by up to 11C from a Sunday peak of 17.9C (64F) in Pershore, Worcestershire, to single digits. Forecasters said that the colder conditions would continue today before slightly milder temperatures move in tomorrow – but they will drop again going into the weekend.
Snow early yesterday covered parts of north- east England – especially areas of higher ground in Northumberland and County Durham – and even reached down into London.
However, northern Scotland was by far the hardest-hit. Heavy snowfall caused treacherous road conditions across the region, particularly the Highlands where up to 6in (15cm) fell on high ground.
Meanwhile, fierce wind gusts of up to 75mph were recorded in Shetland and 40mph in England.
Two binmen escaped with minor injuries when their 26-ton lorry was blown over by winds in Leeds yesterday morning.
The cab they were in flattened a section of roadside barrier.
A Met Office spokesman said there was a ‘massive difference’ in temperatures with cold winds making it ‘feel freezing’ across the country. A weather warning remains in place for today.
The Met Office said ‘patchy accumulations’ of up to 1.6in (4cm) of snow could gather in parts of Wales, while 0.8in (2cm) may fall in the far north of Scotland.
The spokesman said: ‘Almost anywhere in the UK could see snow flurries and it’s going to feel very cold, with similar strong winds.’
Guy Barter, of the Royal Horticultural Society, warned gardeners not to be in a rush to plant seeds and flowers amid the uncertain weather so far this month.
He said: ‘Overnight frosts in April are dreaded by gardeners.
‘Magnolia and camellia flowers are ruined, fruit blossom and young fruitlets, including pears and apples, are spoiled and the tender tips of potatoes will be burnt off if they appear above ground.’
Mr Barter added: ‘ Gardeners’ hearts are in their mouths through April as they anxiously scan the weather forecasts for frost warnings ready to rush out and cover vulnerable plants to ward off damage.’
At least 55 people died when torrential rains caused a string of disasters in eastern Indonesia yesterday. Mud tumbled down hills on to dozens of homes on Adonara island. Rescuers recovered 38 bodies. Flash flooding killed at least 17 elsewhere after rivers burst their banks. Rains also caused cold lava to tumble down the slopes of the Ili Lewotolok volcano and hit several villages. Nearly 10,000 people were foced to flee after severe flooding hit the city of Bima on the island of Sumbawa.