The Met Office have in fact issued a News Release about the return of the cold weather. It seems that the milder weather is once again giving way to a much colder spell - likely to last until the end of February.
According to Keith Groves, Head of Forecasting for the Met Office, temperatures are unlikely to get above two or three Celsius by day, with widespread frost by night. Eastern counties could also be in for some snow, especially on the hills and moors! So, it's a good time to make sure that you're regularly tuned to the BBC forecasts, as there may be some travel disruption.
So, without further ado, here's how it's looking for the weeks ahead:
Monday 20th to Sunday 26th February
Following an increasingly cool and windy weekend, the north-easterly wind looks set to stay for a while. Although persistent rain and the strongest winds will slowly ease away through Monday in the southeast of England, there will be a fair amount of cloud still being blown in off the North Sea.
High pressure will build from the north, keeping the wind coming in from the east. This means that we're likely to see the best sunshine through the week, across western Scotland, Northern Ireland, northwest England and perhaps northern most parts of Wales.
Southern and eastern areas, away from the settling influence of the High and baring the brunt of the onshore winds, will see a lot more cloud and scattering showers, which could turn sleety at times and give some hill snow too, especially later in the week.
It's a cold wind and where the winds are strongest (eastern and southern England) it will feel quite biting at times. Elsewhere, it will still feel cold due to its influence.
Overnight frosts will become widespread once again, with daytime temperatures really struggling - especially under the thickest cloud in the east.
Monday 27th February to Sunday 5th March
By this time, high pressure will predominate over Scandinavia, bringing cold, north-easterly winds to much of the British Isles. The wind will be most noticeable in exposed eastern counties, so you'll really feel the chill here.
Temperatures are expected to be below average, particularly over central and southeast England. Showers are likely, chiefly affecting eastern districts (due to the wind direction, it's the exposed coastal counties that will get the most). Western areas, on the other hand, should see a fair amount of sunshine.
But, with clear skies, night-time temperatures will really tumble. Frosts may well be widespread, though eastern coastal counties (with more cloud from the showers) should manage to escape.
Later in the week, low pressure may develop in the southwest, bringing rain and higher temperatures to here - but with rain coming in over such cold ground, there may well be some falling as snow before the rain itself sets in.
Monday 6th to Sunday 19th March
The weather should be milder by now, with low pressure becoming established to the south of the Denmark Strait. With more cloud and a change in the winds, the biggest change would be the overnight temperatures - as they could rise to well above average in the north.
In other respects, this looks to be a fairly standard early spring pattern; a return to the 'sunshine and showers'. Near average amounts of rain predicted through this time.
'Spring blossom and april showers - Will the mild weather to come set things off early? Find out next week.
Monthly forecasting
Forecasting the weather beyond about a week ahead stretches even the most experienced weather forecaster. Complex numerical weather forecast models from the Met Office and the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF)are run many times for the month (and season) ahead to build up a picture of the likelihood of different weather types affecting the UK.
According to Keith Groves, Head of Forecasting for the Met Office, temperatures are unlikely to get above two or three Celsius by day, with widespread frost by night. Eastern counties could also be in for some snow, especially on the hills and moors! So, it's a good time to make sure that you're regularly tuned to the BBC forecasts, as there may be some travel disruption.
So, without further ado, here's how it's looking for the weeks ahead:
Monday 20th to Sunday 26th February
Following an increasingly cool and windy weekend, the north-easterly wind looks set to stay for a while. Although persistent rain and the strongest winds will slowly ease away through Monday in the southeast of England, there will be a fair amount of cloud still being blown in off the North Sea.
High pressure will build from the north, keeping the wind coming in from the east. This means that we're likely to see the best sunshine through the week, across western Scotland, Northern Ireland, northwest England and perhaps northern most parts of Wales.
Southern and eastern areas, away from the settling influence of the High and baring the brunt of the onshore winds, will see a lot more cloud and scattering showers, which could turn sleety at times and give some hill snow too, especially later in the week.
It's a cold wind and where the winds are strongest (eastern and southern England) it will feel quite biting at times. Elsewhere, it will still feel cold due to its influence.
Overnight frosts will become widespread once again, with daytime temperatures really struggling - especially under the thickest cloud in the east.
Monday 27th February to Sunday 5th March
By this time, high pressure will predominate over Scandinavia, bringing cold, north-easterly winds to much of the British Isles. The wind will be most noticeable in exposed eastern counties, so you'll really feel the chill here.
Temperatures are expected to be below average, particularly over central and southeast England. Showers are likely, chiefly affecting eastern districts (due to the wind direction, it's the exposed coastal counties that will get the most). Western areas, on the other hand, should see a fair amount of sunshine.
But, with clear skies, night-time temperatures will really tumble. Frosts may well be widespread, though eastern coastal counties (with more cloud from the showers) should manage to escape.
Later in the week, low pressure may develop in the southwest, bringing rain and higher temperatures to here - but with rain coming in over such cold ground, there may well be some falling as snow before the rain itself sets in.
Monday 6th to Sunday 19th March
The weather should be milder by now, with low pressure becoming established to the south of the Denmark Strait. With more cloud and a change in the winds, the biggest change would be the overnight temperatures - as they could rise to well above average in the north.
In other respects, this looks to be a fairly standard early spring pattern; a return to the 'sunshine and showers'. Near average amounts of rain predicted through this time.
'Spring blossom and april showers - Will the mild weather to come set things off early? Find out next week.
Monthly forecasting
Forecasting the weather beyond about a week ahead stretches even the most experienced weather forecaster. Complex numerical weather forecast models from the Met Office and the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF)are run many times for the month (and season) ahead to build up a picture of the likelihood of different weather types affecting the UK.
