SCOTLAND is set to plunge back into freezing temperatures after a weekend of highs of 17C.
The Met Office believe an unseasonable high of 17C (63F) is possible in the sunshine somewhere in the south of Scotland this weekend.
Snow is set to return after a unseasonably warm weekend[/caption]
Scots are not yet out of the cold weather yet[/caption]
An artic blast his headed for next weekend = with temperatures dropping again[/caption]
But a sudden switch to northerly winds on Monday means rain crossing the country could spark some snow showers in the north.
By Tuesday, below-average temperatures could lead to lows of Minus 4C (24F) in rural parts of Scotland.
And overnight frosts could become the norm for many in towns and cities.
Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office, Chris Bulmer explained: “A frontal zone will move south across the UK during Sunday night and Monday, with much colder air following from the north.
“With these cold northeasterly winds, we are likely to see some wintry showers across the north and the east of the UK next week, but any accumulations of snow are likely to be largely restricted to hills.
“We’ll also see a return to overnight frosts in many areas.
“While there is uncertainty in the extent of rain and wintry showers through the middle of next week, there is higher confidence that below average temperatures will continue through the week, bringing a very different feel to the mild weather over the weekend.”
By the end of next week, meteorologists believe a Sudden Stratospheric Warming event will have taken place.
This means that the prevailing winds switch from west to east, drawing in much colder air from the Arctic and Scandinavia.
It is the same phenomenon which led to the ‘Beast from the East’ in 2018, when the country was crippled by heavy snow.
SSW events do not always result in severe conditions and the Met Office say it will not be until the end of the month before we discover if this one will produce disruptive weather.
Stirling Castle sits in front of the snow-covered southern Grampian Mountains[/caption]
