Cold front sweeps towards Bristol

Bristol is facing another cold snap as the winter shapes up to be the chilliest for at least 13 years.

Meteorologists have warned that the "reasonably average" temperatures in Bristol over the last fortnight will come to an end on Sunday night, when bitter winds and freezing air from Russia are expected to sweep across the UK.

There is also a small chance of snow for parts of Bristol in the early part of next week.

Temperatures in Bristol are forecast to drop from between 4°C and 7°C on Saturday and 3°C and 5°C on Sunday down to between -1°C and -3°C on Sunday night.

Maximum temperatures on Monday are predicted to be 1°C to 4°C, plunging to -1°C to -4°C in the night, said forecaster Michael Dukes, who added the wind chill factor would make it feel even colder.

The snap follows a long spell of cold weather in Bristol earlier this month, when temperatures plunged to lows of -7°C during a three-week freeze.

Conditions finally improved and became milder from mid-January.

Mr Dukes, of MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "Chill winds from the continent will start to be felt across the south and east in the next couple of days, before a blast of bitterly cold air from western Russia sends the mercury plunging during Sunday night and the early part of next week.

"Although still far from certain at this stage, there are growing signs that heavy snow showers will accompany this frigid air during Monday and Tuesday, more especially across southern and eastern parts of England, with the north and west probably staying mainly fine and frosty.

"Temperatures in the first half of next week are unlikely to be as low as they were in the early January 'freeze' but will struggle to rise above freezing by day and will drop several degrees below at night with a significant wind-chill adding to the cold."

With overall temperatures in December and January between 1°C and 1.5°C below average and a freezing start to February looking likely, Mr Dukes said the last time the winter months were as cold was in 1995-1996.

During that winter, in particular in December, the weather was very cold and windy with plenty of snow.

On December 30, 1995, the UK national lowest temperature of -27.2°C was equalled – recorded in the Scottish village of Altnaharra.