UK weather: Coldest ever May day for parts of UK – but it’s looking up (for some)
Written by News on 14/05/2020
Northern Ireland measured sub-zero temperatures overnight and broke its record for the coldest May day ever.
The Met Office said Katesbridge measured its lowest May temperature on record on Thursday morning at -6.1C (21F), breaking the previous one from 1995, which came in at -5.2C (22.6F).
Today’s temperatures are almost as cold as Northern Ireland’s overall record low of -6.5C (20.3F), recorded in Moydamlaght, Londonderry, in 1982.
Other parts of the UK also suffered freezing conditions, with -4.6C (23.7F) seen in Shap, Cumbria, and -4C (24.8F) in North Yorkshire.
It comes after last weekend’s hot weather saw Britons flock to parks and beaches in spite of coronavirus lockdown measures, with highs of 26C (78.8F) in some places.
Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said the cold snap had been caused by a high-pressure system bringing cold air from the north, but next week would see air from the south warming things up.
She said: “We are slowly seeing day-on-day warming and we are seeing temperatures pick up… certainly by Sunday in London when we’ll see temperatures of 20 or 21C (69.8F).”
Temperatures are expected to reach up to 18C (64.4F) in London on Friday, with highs above 14C (57.2F) in other parts of the country.
But while those in the South and east of the country will be able to make the most of unlimited exercise, northwest Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North West could face a wet weekend, with a weather front bringing heavy rain on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
(c) Sky News 2020: UK weather: Coldest ever May day for parts of UK – but it’s looking up (for some)
