A chill wind may blow new ‘Beast from the East’ in
Weather notes
That slow-moving weather front that has been stuck over much of the UK for the past few days, bringing grey skies and gloom to match the international mood, is finally but slowly departing our shores today. In its wake will come chilly winds from the south-east and east that could even, according to some forecasts, turn into another “Beast from the East” with heavy snowfall by next weekend.
For today, however, a mainly easterly wind will blow the remnant of that static weather front away. Early on, there could be a trail of patchy light rain in many parts, but as the day extends only south-western England will see any substantial rain. Elsewhere it will be dry and bright in Northern Ireland, Scotland, northwest England and North Wales, while further south and east expect something duller but benign.
The best of the temperatures will be 48F (9C), anywhere north and west from Liverpool up to Glasgow and Edinburgh. For the rest, more like 46F (8C), but perhaps a notch or two down along the east coast from Norfolk to Newcastle.
That eastern seaboard will feel the effects of those strengthening east and south-east winds as the working week gets under way, especially tomorrow and Tuesday, with fog clinging to the coast in the mornings. The further west you are, the more chance you have of enjoying the sunshine, though the wind chill will dampen the benefit of the blue skies as temperatures drop.
As the week wears on, the wind will push the mercury down further. By Wednesday, the computer predictions are suggesting two alternatives: either that chill will turn into full-blown winter, with snow as deep as 20 inches in Scotland. Or more familiar low pressure out in the Atlantic will prevail and drive in its usual mix of rain and wind. Whichever it is, though we technically are in meteorological spring now, it won’t feel like it.