UK weather forecast: Frost expected as temperatures plunge over bank holiday weekend

Cold front brings chilly mornings, heavy rain and near gale force winds

Falling temperatures could bring frost to parts of the UK over the bank holiday weekend before warmer weather returns in the autumn.

Chilly mornings as well as heavy rain, strong winds and even hail are forecast as a cold front brings fresher air from the Atlantic.

The wet weather could cause disruption for those planning a getaway over the three day weekend, particularly on Sunday.

Drivers are being warned to expect delays as more than 14 million cars take to the roads, according to the RAC.

Martin Young, deputy chief meteorologist at the Met Office, said: “The cooler conditions will continue through the weekend and for some it’ll certainly feel quite different to what we’ve been used to this summer.

“The mornings especially will be quite chilly, with temperatures locally in single figures and some of us in rural areas may even have a touch of frost overnight.”

Frost is most likely in rural parts of Scotland, such as Aviemore, and is “especially unusual for the UK” in August, according to the Met Office. The last time a ground frost was seen in England in August was in 2014.

The warmest temperature over the weekend is expected on Monday, with up to 22C in the southeast of England, just above average for the time of year.

“Saturday will see showers from the northwest to the southeast, so some in the northwest will see occasionally heavy showers with thunder and hail,” said Met Office spokesman Grahame Madge.

“The worst day is Sunday, when everyone is going to see some prolonged and heavy rain throughout the day.

“Bank holiday Monday will be pretty fair, with dry and bright conditions, albeit breezy.”

Some areas could see winds of between 30mph and 40mph over the weekend.

Warmer weather is expected to return from Thursday, and will continue when autumn officially begins – according to the meteorological calendar – on 1 September.

The second week of September is set to bring “a good deal of dry, warm and settled weather”, according to the Met Office.

Forecasters said there was a “good chance” southern parts of the UK may become “very warm”, but added another heatwave is “looking less likely”.

“There is potential for it to reoccur,” said Mr Madge. “It’s not something we can say at this stage.”

Bank holiday travel disruption is expected on the M5 between junction one and junction four in the West Midlands on Friday afternoon and the M1 in the East Midlands on Saturday.

Engineering work on the railways also means a number of routes are disrupted.

Network Rail is urging passengers not to travel on the West Coast Main Line to and from London between Saturday and Monday, as London Euston is closed and journeys will be “far longer, busier and less comfortable” than usual.

Engineering work will also disrupt services to Manchester, Birmingham International and Derby stations.

Network Rail route managing director Martin Frobisher said: “There is never an ideal time to shut the railway, but these weekends are the least disruptive times to do it.”

Additional reporting by Press Association