Welcome to British Summer: Atlantic storm to sweep across UK bringing wet and windy Easter

Gales topping 60mph are forecast across parts of the country tomorrow as temperatures plunge - and Britons making plans for the weekend have been warned conditions will remain unsettled with high winds and above average rainfall for much of the country until at least Easter Monday.

The grim seven-day outlook comes as the UK shivered in a miserable weekend which marked the start of British Summer Time. Scotland was today hit by ferocious 71mph gales while most of the country endured grey skies, drizzle and rain.

After a brief respite tomorrow morning, another Atlantic storm system is poised to sweep across Britain this afternoon. Forecasters said parts of the country could see double the daily average amount of rainfall in the next few days with more sleet and snow over high ground.

The Met Office said temperatures would remain in low single figures in the north all week with the south just scraping 11C (52F) or 12C (54F).

It has issued a severe weather warning for ice across the north tomorrow and up to two inches of snow over high ground, including the Pennines.

Chris Burton, forecaster for The Weather Network, said: “Monday will be a mild and dry for a time before another spell of wind and rain moves of the Atlantic later in the day.

“The rest of next week then looks rather cool and showery, although south-western areas could well remain largely dry.

“Early signs for the Easter weekend suggest the start of the weekend will be cool and showery with the best chance of some dry and fine weather later in the Easter weekend.”

James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, warned the cold and wet weather threatens to last into April.

He said: “There are no signs of any major warmth on the horizon for the foreseeable from the upcoming pattern change. It is going to feel cold with a number of frequent wintry incursions well into April. 

“This is likely to result in a colder than-average Easter with some unsettled or potentially wintry conditions at times, in particular, in the north.”

Met Office forecaster Charlie Powell said although things are looking slightly better for the Easter weekend it will remain unsettled.

He said: “There is a lot of wet and windy weather to come until the middle of the week, with the risk of 50mph gales in most places and up to 60mph in exposed regions.

“In Scotland temperatures will get down to single figures due to the colder winds and there may be some icy stretches on the roads and wintry showers over high ground.

“An Atlantic weather system will bring more persistent rain and there will be further gales across England and Wales.

“There could be an improvement for the Easter weekend, it will be less windy and drier compared to the start of the week.”

It will be a far cry from the 27.8C (82F) recorded on Easter Saturday in 2011 at Wisley, Surrey, while temperatures hovered around 27C (81F) across England.

And with heavy downpours on the cards Britain may be in for a repeat of the wettest Easter ever when more than six inches (148mm) of rain fell at Oakeley Quarry, Gwynnedd, on Easter Sunday 1963.

Leon Brown, forecaster for The Weather Channel UK, blamed a shift in the jet stream for the stormy outlook.

He said: “We are now entering a wetter and much more unsettled spell of weather with a strong jet stream from the Atlantic to the UK.

“It will be drier but colder from the north next Tuesday and Wednesday, although showers for the north west.

“It will often be windy and wet, especially over the north and west with 150 to 200 per cent of normal precipitation.

“Easter still looks unsettled at first and better later, Good Friday will be cloudy and wet and then colder with northerly winds and showers on Saturday.

“Easter Monday could be fine and the best day of the Easter period after a chilly start and early frost with light winds.”