Britain enjoys warmer weather but wind and rain set to return

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/20/britain-mild-weather-wind-rain-end-of-week

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Temperatures may hit a high of 17C (62.6F) in some parts of the UK on Monday, just one week after there was snowfall on the south coast of England.

But this fleeting glimpse of spring is set to be blown away by gales by the end of the week, with snow flurries forecast once again for northern areas.

An unusually mild start saw 13C (55F) recorded in Aberdeen at 3am – far above the 0C (32F) normal for the time of year.

Met Office forecaster Emma Salter said: “It’s looking like everywhere will have a mild start with most places in double digits already. Temperatures will climb in the south to 16C (61F), with a small chance of 17C in London and parts of East Anglia.”

Despite the balmy temperatures most of the UK will be beneath cloudy, drizzly skies all day, with sunny spells confined to the south-east of England.

For the rest of the UK highs of between 11C (53F) and 14C (57F) can be expected.

The brief respite from winter is thanks to a bulge of high pressure pushing the jet stream further north than usual. However, this is set to change as the week goes on, with rain, wind and some snowlikely.

“On Monday, parts of Scotland will see some early rain pushing in that will sink southwards through the day and behind that rain the system will introduce some colder air,” Salter said. “When that rain makes its way south it will ease, without the cloud around it’s going to be a cold night.”

Still two weeks from the beginning of meteorological spring on 1 March, winter will return as low pressure beats back the warm air. Potentially severe gales are expected for Orkney and the north coast of Scotland, while gale-force winds could hit exposed areas further south on Tuesday night.

The Met Office said it may issue warnings and encouraged people to check its website.

“The rest of the week will remain unsettled with some gales on Thursday, but turning much colder with snow on high ground,” Salter added. “By Friday this could possibly come down to lower levels in the north of the UK.”