UK weather turns wintry with Arctic blast as amazing aerial pictures show London blanketed by fog and clouds

AMAZING aerial pictures show London shrouded in fog today - as weathermen said a blast of Arctic air is set to plunge Britain into winter this week.

Bitter northerly winds and rain showers will have us shivering from tomorrow and could even bring the season's first snowfall, forecasters warned.

It follows an unusually balmy end to October with thermometers expected to touch the 18C (64F) mark today after this morning's Halloween fog clears.

Trick-or-treaters will struggle to drum up chills this evening with temperatures staying above-average for the time of year.

However it is all change from Tuesday as a blast of cold air from the Arctic region spreads across Britain.

There is even the chance of snow over the high ground of Scotland and the north of England in the coming days, forecasters say.

Northern parts will feel the first bite of cold tomorrow before the mercury sinks across the country through the week.

Temperatures are forecast to hit freezing overnight in Scotland, parts of Wales and even as far south as Devon and Cornwall by the weekend.

Daytime highs will struggle to get much above 10C (50F) in the south this week with the north lucky to see 8C (46F).

The Met Office said after a spookily foggy start today temperatures will lift towards the 18C mark.

Forecaster Emma Boorman said: “After a foggy and misty start to Halloween there will be some sunny spells and it will be mild with temperatures staying above average, especially across the southern half of the UK, a band of cloud and rain will pass through the north.

“This rain will gradually sink further south introducing colder air as we move towards midweek and temperatures will struggle to reach the low teens.

"There could even be some wintry showers over the high ground of Scotland.

“Overnight temperatures could touch freezing bringing the risk of frost and more foggy mornings through the week.

“This is due to high pressure - which has been drawing southerly air into Britain keeping things very mild over the past week - changing to pull Arctic maritime air in from the north.”

Britain has been unusually mild over the past week thanks to high pressure wedged over northern Europe allowing mild winds to flow in from the south.

James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said this week will herald the start of a much colder period of weather.

He warned parts of Britain could get the first “significant” snowfall of the season before the end of November.

He said: “Things are turning much colder from the north this week with the cold spreading to other parts of the country, paving the way for a quite cold and much more traditional November period.

“This will bring an increase in the snow risk levels across the country in among some periods of unsettled weather.

“The first notable wintry blast and potentially widespread snow showers will occur during the early part of November and there will also be ample amounts of fog and frost for many within this period too.”

A separate region of high pressure to the northwest of Britain will build this week opening the floodgates to chilly Polar winds.

WeatherOnline forecaster John Ejdowski said: “A cell of high pressure will be the main feature of the weather for much of this next week.

“Little in the way of rain is forecast with most of it reserved for the north west, perhaps until late in the period.

“Temperatures will drop from above normal to below normal with an increased risk of fog and frost.”

A spokesman for The Weather Outlook added: “By Tuesday colder air will be making its way southwards and as high pressure builds back in from the west during mid-week, nighttime frosts become widespread.

“As we head towards next weekend it probably remains quite cold and there is a chance of more changeable conditions bringing rain.

“Over high ground in the north significant snowfall is a possibility.”

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