A polar vortex collapse could bring cold weather to the UK later this month, the Met Office has warned.
The weather forecaster said there is a 70% chance of a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) bringing a rapid descent of cold air.
It is not good news for those up and down the UK who have been enjoying the lovely sunny temperatures from last week.
This is because temperatures are expected to drop across large parts of the country this week as well.
Tonight is set to be colder across parts of England and Wales, especially in the south of England.
Explaining the drop in the temperature, a Met Office spokesperson told Metro: ‘A northerly airflow is now in place and temperatures are feeling much colder than this time last week for all, although they are nothing unusual or exceptional for the time of year.
‘We’ll also see the return of frosty mornings, and showers may be wintry over higher ground.
‘All areas will be feeling cooler, with temperatures today near or just below average for the time of year.’
The weather forecaster said that tonight will be colder than last night in England and Wales, especially southern England.
Wednesday will feel colder than today, with below average temperatures and the wind chill making it feel cooler.
The highest maximum temperature will be between 8-9°C in parts of the central belt and the south of the UK.
Wednesday night will be colder than tonight, with widespread frost and icy patches where skies clear following showers.
This is most likely in parts of Scotland and northern and eastern England.
Lows of -6°C are possible in rural Scotland/Northern Ireland and -2°C could be recorded in rural Wales.
The Met Office added: ‘From Thursday to the weekend, temperatures will be a couple of degrees below normal, but nothing exceptional for the time of year.
‘Daytime temperatures will be below average with maxima generally in single digits with the potential for frosts in all regions by night.’
The spokesperson also warned about the later polar vortex collapse this month.
A polar vortex is a ‘large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles’ that ‘always exists near the poles, but weakens in summer and strengthens in winter’, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The Met Office said: ‘About 70% of sudden stratospheric warming events are followed by a change to cold conditions with easterly winds across northern Europe and the UK.
‘There are now signs of this in the forecast and the risk of a cold snap later in March is higher than normal.
‘The stratosphere polar vortex collapses roughly every couple of years in mid-winter.’
The forecaster added that the true impact of an SSW will be felt later this month.
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