North East weather maps show when temperatures will plunge in March cold snap
by Catherine Addison-Swan · ChronicleLiveThe North East will see a return to colder weather next week following a mild weekend as a spring freeze sweeps the UK.
Forecasters at the Met Office have warned that a "significant change" is on the way that will bring "much colder" conditions from early next week, including the potential for snow and wintry showers. It comes after many parts of the country enjoyed temperatures in the high teens that beat highs over in European holiday hotspots, including the Balearic Islands and Costa Del Sol.
From Tuesday, March 11, temperatures are set to drop below average with daytime highs of between 5-8°C, while overnight rural parts of Scotland could plummet down to -4°C. In the North East, Monday is expected to bring "murky" conditions with cloud bringing some heavy rain and becoming colder and windier into the evening.
The outlook for Tuesday onwards in the region predicts a "marked return to colder conditions" with some sunny spells mixed with showers that could turn wintry over hills, and overnight frosts returning. Weather maps show temperatures begin to drop across the North East at the start of the week, falling into the low single figures for most parts by Tuesday.
Newcastle is forecast to see highs of 8°C on Monday, dropping to 7°C on Tuesday and 6°C on Wednesday, bookended by cold mornings and evenings each day when the mercury will sit as low as 2°C. Temperatures are expected to follow this same pattern across the region, failing to climb into double figures anywhere all week.
Explaining the change in weather on the way this week, the Met Office's deputy chief meteorologist Chris Bulmer said: "A frontal zone will move south across the UK during Sunday night and Monday with much colder air following from the north. With these cold north-easterly winds, we are likely to see some wintry showers across the north and the east of the UK next week, but any accumulations of snow are likely to be largely restricted to hills.
"We'll also see a return to overnight frosts in many areas. While there is uncertainty in the extent of rain and wintry showers through the middle of next week, there is higher confidence that below average temperatures will continue through the week, bringing a very different feel to the mild weather over the weekend."
Forecasters have also advised that they are "increasingly confident" a Sudden Stratospheric Warning (SSW) will occur by mid-March. This phenomenon is characterised by a reversal of winds, known as the polar vortex, high up in the stratosphere, which has the potential to bring severe weather to the UK - but the Met Office said its impacts will become more clear nearer the time.
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