GET OUT THE BBQ
UK weather – SNOW today before 24C heatwave hits just in time for picnics and rule of six
SNOW will fall on the UK today - but a 24C heatwave will arrive just in time for Brits to enjoy barbecues together as lockdown eases.
We're allowed to meet six pals outside from Monday, and the mercury is set to rocket just a day later.
⚡ Read our UK weather live blog for the very latest news and forecasts...
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Households barred from seeing each other for months will once again be allowed to mix in back gardens, and the stay at home order will also be withdrawn.
However, there's grisly weather to get through first - and today and Saturday will be chilly.
Forecasters say snow is likely to settle on high ground in the North.
Officials at the Met Office warned of a "short, sharp shock" as freezing winds blast in today - before millions face a drenching as rain clouds move down the country.
The service's chief meteorologist Andy Page said: "From Saturday, we are going to see a change in weather across the UK, with the northern and southern parts of Britain experiencing quite marked differences.
"The northern half of Britain will see strong winds and heavy rain, especially in parts of western Scotland where a yellow warning for rain will be in force for 48 hours from 6pm on Sunday evening.”
Scots living in the area can expect up to a whopping 10 inches of rain to fall during the course of the warning.
But after the blast of poor weather, spring is set to return in style - especially for those living in the south.
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Mr Page said: "In sheltered central and southern parts of the UK, weather conditions will be much calmer.
"Temperatures will climb in the March sunshine to highs into the low 20s, with the possibility of 24C in southeast England by Tuesday."
The maximum temperature recorded in March is 25.6C on March 29 1968 at Mepal in Cambridgeshire.
But for those planning on meeting another household outside for the Easter Bank Holiday, warm jackets may still be needed.
Nick Silkstone, a deputy chief meteorologist covering the medium-range period, said: “From the middle of next week, once again, we expect to see a change in the weather.
"Although there are still some uncertainties in the outlook, there are signs a high-pressure system could develop by the end of next week.
"That would allow cold air from the north to return across the UK, bringing another dip in temperatures for Easter weekend and even a risk of some wintry showers in the northeast.”
The coldest Easter weekend on record was in 2013, when -12.5C was recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
What you can do from March 29 as lockdown rules start easing
On Monday, March 29, for the first time in 12 weeks, people across England will no longer be ordered to stay at home.
Meanwhile, limited contact between different households will be allowed and many outdoor activities will be able to resume.
Brits will be able to meet outdoors either in groups of six or as two households as of March 29. This includes meeting in private gardens.
Outdoor parent groups will also be allowed to meet, with a limit of up to 15 parents.
Outdoor sports facilities including golf courses, tennis and basketball courts and swimming pools can all open.
But while the 'stay home' rule ends on Monday, the Government is advising people to "stay local".
Holidays are banned, and hotels in the UK can't open again until at least April 12.
The deepest snow over the bank holiday fell in 2010, when 36cm was measured at Strathdearn, Inverness-shire, while the wettest was in 1991, when 108.7mm of rainfall - 4.2in - was recorded at Seatoller, in Cumbria.
Yesterday, forecasters warned we face a "bit of a rollercoaster ride" in the days to come.
The unpredictable weather follows a long, cold lockdown winter.
Last month saw temperatures plunge to a bone-chilling -23C as the Beast from the East returned to wreak havoc.
It was the UK's coldest night since December 1995.
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But after the big freeze, bookies Coral have now cut their odds to just 2-1 on next month being the warmest April since records began.
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The firm also makes it odds on at 4-5 that 20C is reached between Good Friday and the Bank Holiday Monday.
Spokesman Harry Aitkenhead said: "Temperatures finally look set to begin to climb as we head through spring and the sun is on the way just in time for Easter."
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