2017 UK spring forecast: Winter to linger throughout March as chilly air persists

By Jillian MacMath, AccuWeather staff writer

February 24,2017, 8:07:13AM,EST

 

 

Polar air will continue to blast the United Kingdom throughout March, making it feel like an extended winter for the British Isles.
Below-normal to near-normal temperatures will dominate as warm pulses are kept at bay across southern Europe.
“I do expect at least one more cold shot from eastern Europe to slide westward into the British Isles, likely at the start of the spring season,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys said.

The chilliest locations will be in eastern regions of the U.K., such as Newcastle and Leeds, where temperatures could hover as low as 5 C before the arrival of spring air.
The persistent chill may also allow for wintry showers in the hills of Scotland, England and Wales until April.
"The potential exists for several accumulating snowfalls in Scotland, especially in the higher elevations," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.
A transition to springlike warmth will occur in April as storms arrive from the Atlantic Ocean more frequently, delivering bouts of wet weather.
“The milder weather, paired with increasing rainfall, will cause snowmelt and the potential for isolated flooding,” Roys said.
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Stormy periods will also grace Northern Ireland and western Scotland as the storm track flows mainly to the north into Norway.
Meanwhile, cold fronts that move across Wales and England will mainly have showers associated with them.
"This will lead to a spring with some dry periods and some brief showery periods for places like Cardiff, Wales; Bristol, Southampton and Birmingham, England,” Roys said.
Overall, temperatures are predicted to be near to above normal during the late spring across the U.K.