Scotland weather: Coldest temperature since March recorded in the Highlands as Scotland braces for ‘cold snap’

Temperatures dropped to minus 7C in Tulloch Bridge, near Fort William in the Highlands, on Saturday night, the lowest since March 20, the Met Office said.

The forecaster said a 5C drop in temperatures across the UK saw top figures plunge to around 11C on Sunday, with temperatures set to get colder for the start of the week.

Freezing temperatures were expected across Scotland heading into Monday, with figures hovering below 5C in most areas over the coming days and many set to dip below zero.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Dan Holley said: “As Storm Claudia retreats to the south, high pressure to the north-west will drive a cold northerly flow from the Arctic across the UK.

“This will bring much colder conditions than of late and, whilst generally drier than recent days, there will also be a risk of wintry hazards, such as snow and ice.

“This will be a notable change in our weather after a prolonged spell of above-average temperatures.”

“There will be widespread frosts across the UK, with temperatures dipping as low as minus 7C in places next week, and daytime temperatures staying in single figures across the country.

“Couple this with a brisk northerly wind, and there will be a marked wind chill. This will be a notable change in our weather after a prolonged spell of above-average temperatures.”

According to current Met Office forecasts, the Highlands, Grampian, Central, Tayside and Fife are braced for persistent rain, sleet or snow on Tuesday.

That will be followed by “scattered wintry showers” on Wednesday and Thursday, accompanied by cold and strong northerly winds which will gradually ease through Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Lothians, Borders, Dumfries and Galloway may see persistent rain or hill snow on Tuesday, before brightening up on Wednesday and Thursday bar some wintry showers in coastal areas.

Edinburgh is looking cold but dry and bright on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday according to current forecasts, but as elsewhere Tuesday is looking overcast with a high chance of showers during the day.

Heavy rain is forecast in Glasgow on Tuesday morning but otherwise the city is in store for a cold but sunny week.

Much of England and Wales was blasted by Storm Claudia over the weekend, with the storm triggering major flooding and widespread disruption.

A major incident was declared in Monmouth, south-east Wales, over the weekend where people were rescued or evacuated from homes that were flooded in Friday’s torrential rain.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had imposed four severe flood warnings amid fears there may be danger to life while there were 45 flood warnings in England.

Some 119.6mm of rainfall was recorded at an NRW rain gauge at Tafalog in Gwent, south-east Wales, in the 12 hours to 6am on Saturday while 80.6mm was recorded over the same period at Suckley, Worcestershire.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued a cold weather warning for parts of the Midlands and northern England from Monday.