UK Weather: 'Arctic' blast set to bring dramatic drop in temperature, up to 7C below average

After a weekend of thunderstorms and flash flooding in parts of England and Wales, the weather is set to take a sharp turn, with temperatures forecast to be 4 to 7C below average for this time of year.

The change in conditions is due to a deepening area of low pressure moving across northern Scotland early Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and strengthening northwesterly winds. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain over Shetland.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist, Andy Page, said: “Of particular concern is a prolonged spell of heavy rain over or close to Shetland during Tuesday. A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued. We are also monitoring the potential for a period of strong northwesterly winds, especially for Orkney and perhaps also into parts of the Moray and Aberdeenshire coast.”

“We will continue to assess the need for weather warnings, so please keep up to date with our latest forecasts and warnings for your area.”

By midweek, colder air from the Arctic will sweep across the UK, with hail and thunderstorms expected in some areas. There is also the chance of wintry showers over higher ground in Scotland.

According to the BBC Weather, temperatures will fall to a daytime maximum of 9 to 14C, with the strong winds making it feel even colder. While temperatures last week reached 28C in parts of eastern England, this week, however, will bring a noticeable shift, with a chill in the air and widespread cooler conditions.

Looking ahead, the Met Office said: “Milder air from the Atlantic is expected to push back across the country later on Friday and more especially into the weekend, cutting off the cold air from the north and seeing a return to temperatures nearer average for the time of year.”