UK weather: Sunny spells and strong winds forecast after warm bank holiday weekend

British public comes to grips with new lockdown advice no matter the weather

Strong, Arctic winds blowing from the northeast have brought temperatures down after a warm, humid bank holiday weekend, with cold nights ahead.

Over the weekend, temperatures peaked at 25C on Saturday, although some heavy showers and cooler conditions persisted in northern Scotland.

The warm weather caused many people to flock to open spaces such as parks and beaches, despite the government urging the public to continue staying home to stop the spread of coronavirus.

But by Sunday afternoon, an Arctic Maritime air mass began sweeping south across the UK, said the Met Office. Overnight temperatures on Sunday plunged as low as 0C in Glasgow and 4C in London.

Monday morning saw highs of just 8C in the southeast of England, with plenty of gusty winds lingering from the night before. According to the Met Office, some isolated showers are expected in northern and eastern Scotland, along with eastern England.

Most of the UK remains largely dry with plenty of sunny spells, and the chilly wind is expected to gradually ease over the course of the day.

However, frosty nights are ahead as there is potential for temperatures to drop as low as 0C in southeast England.

“The week ahead will see a gradual recovery in daytime temperatures, but overnight frosts will be an ever present risk – gardeners and growers, take note!” said Met Office forecasters.

Tuesday will bring another cold but sunny start, but conditions will stay largely dry and breezy with sunny spells for most. But things will look much more wintry over northern Scotland with outbreaks of rain, which could fall as snow over higher ground.

Maximum temperatures over the next two days will hover just over 10C, with a high of 13C expected in London. Low levels of pollen will bring some respite to hay fever sufferers as the season starts to enter full swing.

Daytime temperatures are expected to recover slightly as the week goes on, although there may be some isolated showers on Wednesday. Conditions are to become more settled with sunny spells and light winds later on.

The return to more spring-like weather may make it easier for many to stick to the lockdown guidance this week, after the prime minister announced a gradual easing of restrictions on Sunday evening.

A Met Office spokesman said: “Part of spring’s charm is you can get both types of weather. May can be quite a topsy-turvy month, getting closer to the start of summer. It’s not unusual for spring to have a hot part and a colder part.”