UK weather: Snow and ice to return after Britons bask in sunny 19C weekend

Temperatures expected to plummet to -3C in some parts of UK next week

The UK is bracing for another weekend of warm weather, but forecasters have urged Brits to enjoy the balmy days while they can amid warnings of snow and lows of -3C into next week

Fine, sunny days are on the cards across most parts of the UK with temperatures expected to soar to highs of 19C in the southwest of England and Wales on Saturday.

The Met Office said the clearest skies are likely to be found in the south, but light breezes may bring cooler conditions on some coastlines. Further north, it said people can expect a cloudier front with light rain threatening to wash over the Northern Isles.

People enjoy the warm weather on Bournemouth beach in Dorset (PA)

Dry and settled weather should continue into Sunday for most, although the warm weather may be slightly subdued on some North Sea coasts due to light fog and cloud.

But officials have warned that, as temperatures fall away toward the middle of next week, some parts of the UK could be subject to snowfall.

A spokesperson for the Met Office told The Independent that the cold snap could bring light flurries to higher ground in northern Scotland.

A woman takes a photograph of blossom on the trees in Regent’s Park (Getty Images)

As a result of this week’s unseasonably hot weather, traffic is unlikely to be affected by any potential snowfall next week, as flakes will melt on contact with the warm roads, they added.

The chilly spell will be brought on by a cold air mass attempting to push into the north of the UK on Tuesday, before slowly sinking southwards.

Forecasters have warned that wintry showers are on the cards for much of the country, although they will be most frequent in the north and east.

People look on from Southsea beach as the Isle of Wight (PA)

Meanwhile, nighttime temperatures in the north could sink to –3C in isolated rural areas, the Met Office added.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: “Although the UK has had a good deal of fine and settled March weather in recent days, a change is on the way from the middle of next week with colder air spreading down from the north and the increasing likelihood of rain for most areas.

“On the hills in the north, there’s a chance of this falling as snow, although we’ll gain more certainty on that in the coming days.

Swimmers make their way into the sea off of Southsea beach in Hampshire (PA)

“With the influence of some unsettled weather, we’ll be seeing a marked drop in temperatures for most with colder air arriving from the north.

“This will see maximum temperatures drop into single figures for many areas, and below freezing overnight.”