The UK is set to see temperatures as low as 2C in late May (Image: WXCharts)
Weather maps show the exact date that the UK will be “colder than Norway” as a 2C Polar blast hits parts of the country.
WXCharts has forecast for Britain to be hit with cold weather on May 21, bringing with it unseasonably low temperatures and high winds.
Temperatures will drop as low as 2C in Aberdeen, Inverness, Fort William and Wick, which is five degress cooler than parts of Norway on this date.
It will be warmest in Wales, Northern Ireland, and the southwest of England, with the likes of Plymouth, Conwy and Derry seeing the mercury rise to between 4C and 7C.
The rest of the country including Southampton, London, Manchester and Newcastle will see temperatures hover between 3C and 4C.
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The cold weather will also bring high winds (Image: WXCharts)
If these temperatures are accurate, the UK will be colder than Norway, which is forecast to see temperatures around 7C in the south.
The Met Office said of the period: “The week should start on a reasonable note in many areas, with a fair amount of dry and bright weather, especially in southern parts of the UK.
“Further north and west there will always be more in the way of cloud with a risk of some showers or spells of rain at times."
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Met Office five-day forecast
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Rain continuing across some central areas, but showers in the south soon fading. Mist, fog and low cloud developing under any clear spells. Staying mild under any cloud.
Friday:
Any mist and fog clearing to leave sunny spells and showers on Friday, these turning particularly heavy with a risk of thunder in the south. Feeling warm in the sunshine.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday:
Warm sunny spells and heavy, thundery showers continue on Saturday, particularly in the south. A little drier with fewer showers on Sunday and Monday. Feeling warm in any sunshine.
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How does the Polar Vortex affect our weather? A strong polar vortex favours a strong jet stream. The jet stream is a fast moving ribbon of air around 5 to 7 miles (8 to 11km) above the earth that drives weather systems from the Atlantic towards the UK.
However, in winter the UK is tilted away from the Sun, which means it has less influence. The prevailing winds blowing across the North Atlantic Drift ocean current have more influence in making the UK warmer than other places on the same latitude.
Recently, the jet stream has looped south of the UK, exposing the country to cooler northern air. “The jet stream has set up this pressure pattern that allows the winds at the surface to come down from the north and bring us the Arctic air,” says Alex Deakin, a meteorologist at the Met Office.
This dry Arctic air blown from the north makes it feel colder compared to moist air, even when the air temperatures are the same. Feeling cold can be offset by strong spring sunshine, but generally there's been a fair amount of cloud trapped under the high pressure with nowhere to go.
This is because low-pressure systems have been directed towards the UK, which brings unsettled weather with it. Low-pressure areas are places where the atmosphere is relatively thin, and winds blow inward towards them. This causes air to rise, producing clouds, condensation and rain.
Sea levels around the UK have risen significantly, particularly over the past 30 years. Additionally, changes in sunshine and wind patterns have been noted, with 2022 being notably sunny. Extreme weather events, like the unprecedented heatwave and significant storms, highlight the trend towards more extreme conditions.
UK winters are projected to become warmer and wetter on average, although cold or dry winters will still occur sometimes. Summers are projected to become hotter and are more likely to be drier, although wetter summers are also possible. By 2050, heatwaves like that seen in 2018 are expected to happen every other year.
The polar vortex has a profound impact on the winter season outlook for areas like North America, Europe and Asia. When the vortex is strong and stable, it helps keep frigid Arctic air locked in the polar regions, resulting in milder winters for many parts of the United States and Canada.
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