Colder with frosty nights this weekend

April is renowned for being a changeable month across the UK, as cold and warm air battle it out, bringing snow and frosts one day, then warm sunshine a few days later.

In recent days, both England and Wales have had their warmest days of the year so far, reaching 18.6C and 16.9C respectively.

Northern parts of the UK haven’t fared so well, with temperatures closer to average, but even there, the weather has been decent at times with some sunshine.

However, this weekend will see a northerly wind bring colder air southwards to all areas, with a definite chill in the air compared to what we’ve been used to lately.

Low pressure stuck

During the past week, the weather has been driven by an area of low pressure sitting just to the south west of the UK.

It has been sitting in the same place because it has become detached from the jet stream that originally formed it.

So, rather than being pushed through as normal, it has become stuck – very much like a spinning top falling off a moving conveyor belt and spinning around in the same place.

The result of this has been bands of cloud and rain or showers spreading northwards across the UK, bringing with it some warmer air.

Colder this weekend

This weekend will see a change, as the jet stream dives southwards just to west of the UK, bringing colder air down from the north.

The colder air – marked by a band of rain and hill snow – arrives in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England during Friday, before spreading down across the rest of the UK by the end of Saturday.

As cold air really digs in behind the rain during the early hours of Saturday, there could be a spell of snow over fairly modest hills in Wales, the Midlands and northern England above 200 metres.

So, there is a chance that some places could wake up with a slushy covering of wet snow on Saturday morning, although it won’t last long as once temperatures rise, it’ll turn back to rain and melt.

Something that will be more significant for all of us – especially gardeners – will be frost during Friday and Saturday night, when temperatures in towns and cities fall close to 0C, with -4C possible in the countryside.

High pressure next week

Next week will see high pressure influence the weather across us for much of the time, turning it mostly dry and settled,

However, there won’t be wall to wall sunshine, with some days cloudier than others and there could still be a few showers here and there.

Temperatures will start to recover though, with 10-15C for most places by early next week and any touches of frost restricted to rural areas.

Don’t forget, you can get the latest forecast on the Channel 4 Weather website. I’ll also be posting updates on Twitter – @liamdutton