UK weather maps turn icy blue as -3C freeze to hit Britain days after 'mini heatwave'

Although the UK could reach highs of 24C this week - just one degree below the hottest-ever recorded temperature in early April - Brits could see temperatures plummet back into minus figures in a matter of days, new weather maps have predicted. According to new charts generated by forecaster WXCharts on April 7, by the early hours of Sunday (April 12), temperatures are set to fall as low as -3C in some parts of the country.

A WXCharts ECMWF model forecasting 'Minimum Temperatures' at 6am on Sunday predicts that in the Scottish Highlands, temperatures will drop to -3C and -2C, while areas closer to Aberdeen and Glasgow will see lows of just below zero. This bitter freeze extends down into England, with areas near the border also set to see lows of -2C. In cities like Newcastle and Blackpool, temperatures will hang around freezing, while Northern Ireland will face bitter temperatures of around -1C.

In England and Wales, the maximum inland temperatures expected at 6am on Sunday are just above freezing at 3C, while mountainous areas in Wales could drop to -2C.

As we move through Sunday, temperatures improve slightly, reaching a high of 5C in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall by midday. Much of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Northern England, however, will remain below freezing, with lows of -2C expected in more hilly regions. London, Norfolk, Suffolk and Kent will, meanwhile, see an average temperature of 3C by 12pm on Sunday.

As if bitter temperatures were not enough to contend with, parts of the UK are even set to see snow, according to a third weather map giving a 'Winter Overview' at 6am on Sunday. According to the chart, snow will already be on the ground near Edinburgh and inland Wales, with a new sprinkling due to descend in eastern Wales and border counties like Shropshire. A separate snow bomb is set to fall in areas near Salisbury and Andover.

The clear presence of the 528 dam line on the 'Winter Overview' map across much of the country is a key meteorological indicator used to identify a cold air mass capable of producing snowfall and is often considered the threshold between rain and snow in Western Europe. If the 528 line is to the south of your location, it indicates that the air mass is cold enough to support snow. If you are north of the 528 line, precipitation is more likely to be snow; south of it, it is more likely to be rain.

Separately, the Met Office's long-range forecast for the period April 11 to April 20 reads: "It will likely remain rather changeable during the first part of this period with showers or occasional longer spells of rain affecting many areas. Whether this takes the form of successive weather systems pushing in from the Atlantic or a more slowly evolving weather pattern is rather more unclear.

"Some drier, brighter interludes will also occur and when winds are light, it should feel quite warm, despite temperatures most likely being close to normal for most.

"Beyond mid-month, high pressure may become rather more dominant, bringing more in the way of drier and perhaps warmer weather, though this will be determined by the location and proximity of where any high is positioned relative to the UK."

Regarding its long-range forecasting, the Met Office warns: "When looking at forecasts beyond five days into the future, the chaotic nature of the atmosphere begins to play a larger part - small events currently over the Atlantic can have potentially significant impacts on our weather in the UK and Ireland in several days' time".