Temperatures to plunge next week

Michael Dukes, of MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said the "reasonably average" temperatures over the last fortnight would come to an end on Sunday night when bitter winds and freezing air from Russia were expected to move across the UK.

There is also a chance of snow for parts of the country in the early part of next week.

Mr Dukes said: "Chill winds from the continent will start to be felt across the south and east in the next couple of days, before a blast of bitterly cold air from western Russia sends the mercury plunging during Sunday night and the early part of next week.

"Although still far from certain at this stage, there are growing signs that heavy snow showers will accompany this frigid air during Monday and Tuesday, more especially across southern and eastern parts of England, with the north and west probably staying mainly fine and frosty.

"Temperatures in the first half of next week are unlikely to be as low as they were in the early January 'freeze' but will struggle to rise above freezing by day and will drop several degrees below at night with a significant wind-chill adding to the cold."

Temperatures are forecast to drop from between 4C and 7C on Saturday and 3C and 5C on Sunday down to between -1C and -3C on Sunday night.

Maximum temperatures on Monday are predicted to be 1C-4C, plunging to -1C to -4C in the night, according to Mr Dukes, who said the wind chill factor would make it feel even colder.

With overall temperatures in December and January between 1C and 1.5C below average and a freezing start to February looking likely, Mr Dukes said the last time the winter months were as cold was in 1995-1996. During that winter, in particular in December, the weather was very cold and windy with plenty of snow.

On December 30 1995 the UK national lowest temperature of -27.2C was equalled - recorded in the Scottish village of Altnaharra. Earlier this month, temperatures plunged to lows of -13C during a three-week freeze.