Britain is blanketed by April snow, sleet and hail as temperatures plunge to MINUS 5C overnight

Britain has been hit with a flurry of April snow, sleet and hail showers ahead of pubs and restaurants reopening outdoors tomorrow, as temperatures are set to plunge to a frosty 23F (-5C) overnight. 

Those heading to the beer garden tomorrow may need to don their thermals, as swathes of the Midlands and parts of southern Scotland are experiencing snow showers, which could be set to move further south throughout tomorrow.

Spells of sunshine and clear skies are expected throughout the day for the North of England tomorrow, with only a few light showers forecast across the region and temperatures remaining just above freezing into the evening.

Meanwhile Southern England, South Wales and Northern Ireland can expect a not so al fresco-friendly day, with a frosty start followed by wintry showers, plenty of cloud cover and possible sleet and snow in parts. 

From tomorrow many pubs and restaurants in England are set to reopen, with relaxed coronavirus restrictions allowing venues to welcome back customers to be served seated outside from April 12.

For those in the East of England and Scotland tomorrow night is forecast to bring widespread frost and possible misty conditions as temperatures fall to 23F (-5C), and temperatures across the UK remain below average for the time of year. 

The cold spell follows a weekend of temperamental weather in Scotland where people were left baffled when the sun, snow and hail combined briefly for what has been described as a high pressure ‘weather anomaly’.

Heavy snow has hit parts of Derbyshire overnight – with some areas of the county looking like a winter wonderland in mid-April. Coverings of the white stuff can be seen in the Peak District areas of Derbyshire this morning

A number of social media users shared pictures and video of the perplexing precipitation, with both humans and dogs caught unawares.

L, 27, from Glasgow – who did not want her name published – said it lasted for around five minutes before becoming warm and sunny again.

‘My mum and I were enjoying the sun, about to take our gram prosecco picture and then the hail-snow descended, then disappeared as quickly as it arrived,’ L tweeted.

They said: ‘The texture of the snow was strange, very soft but took a while to melt, if that makes sense?

‘Max is a puppy so I think he was slightly more confused than I was, but given how quickly it started and ended I was definitely close behind him!

A couple take an early morning walk in a light dusting of overnight snow at Whitley Bay on the North East coast

A couple take an early morning walk in a light dusting of overnight snow at Whitley Bay on the North East coast

Alex Cunningham MP tweeted from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham: 'We had a family BBQ at this table on Easter Sunday - now it is covered in snow'

Alex Cunningham MP tweeted from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham: ‘We had a family BBQ at this table on Easter Sunday – now it is covered in snow’

One Twitter user wrote: 'Moody skies on the Gower (Swansea Bay, Wales) this evening. We had snow and sun today'

One Twitter user wrote: ‘Moody skies on the Gower (Swansea Bay, Wales) this evening. We had snow and sun today’

One runner tweeted a picture of snowy Oldham, Greater Manchester, with the caption: 'Beautiful conditions out there for this Sunday's trot. Sunny but snow underfoot makes it easier when you fall over when going off piste'

One runner tweeted a picture of snowy Oldham, Greater Manchester, with the caption: ‘Beautiful conditions out there for this Sunday’s trot. Sunny but snow underfoot makes it easier when you fall over when going off piste’

One social media user in Leeds tweeted a picture of the snowfall that started early evening and appeared to be settling

One social media user in Leeds tweeted a picture of the snowfall that started early evening and appeared to be settling

A man walks a dog in a light dusting of overnight snow at Seaton Sluice on the North East coast

A man walks a dog in a light dusting of overnight snow at Seaton Sluice on the North East coast

An ominous cloud sweeps in from the Firth of Forth towards Edinburgh Castle and Arthur's Seat, as snow and hail showers affect parts of Scotland, on April 11, in Dalgety Bay, Scotland

An ominous cloud sweeps in from the Firth of Forth towards Edinburgh Castle and Arthur’s Seat, as snow and hail showers affect parts of Scotland, on April 11, in Dalgety Bay, Scotland

A shaft of light picks out a group of sailing dinghies on the Firth of Forth with Barnbougle Castle and the Pentland Hills in the background, as snow and hail showers sweep across parts of Scotland, on April 11, in Dalgety Bay, Scotland

A shaft of light picks out a group of sailing dinghies on the Firth of Forth with Barnbougle Castle and the Pentland Hills in the background, as snow and hail showers sweep across parts of Scotland, on April 11, in Dalgety Bay, Scotland

Coverings of the white stuff can be seen in the Peak District areas of Derbyshire this morning, just two weeks after people put their clocks forward to mark the start of the British summer time

Coverings of the white stuff can be seen in the Peak District areas of Derbyshire this morning, just two weeks after people put their clocks forward to mark the start of the British summer time

Heavy snow hit parts of Derbyshire overnight - with some areasof the county looking like a winter wonderland in mid-April

Heavy snow hit parts of Derbyshire overnight – with some areasyof the county looking like a winter wonderland in mid-April

A child watches people paragliding on the hill of Mam Tor near the village of Castleton, Derbyshire, Britain, April 11

A child watches people paragliding on the hill of Mam Tor near the village of Castleton, Derbyshire, Britain, April 11

Forecasters had predicted up to 5cm of snowfall in places, although said that those expecting a white weekend may instead receive sleet or even hale. Pictured: Blanchland in Northumberland

Forecasters had predicted up to 5cm of snowfall in places, although said that those expecting a white weekend may instead receive sleet or even hale. Pictured: Blanchland in Northumberland

‘It wasn’t hail or snow, it was somewhere between the two.’

Meanwhile Geoff Barton, 60, professor of bioinformatics and head of computational biology at the University of Dundee, was similarly shocked.

‘Ok so we’ve had fabulous sunshine, then snow, then sunshine again. And now? Both together!’ he tweeted.

‘Until about 12:20 this morning the weather was bright sunshine with blue skies,’ he told PA of the Dundee weather.

‘Then we had a snow flurry and then more sunshine until we had this mix of snow and sun at around 15:10.’

Lancashire Road Police warned people that the A56 was partially closed 'due to heavy snow and numerous stranded vehicles'

Lancashire Road Police warned people that the A56 was partially closed ‘due to heavy snow and numerous stranded vehicles’ 

Mr Barton said ‘it is pretty unusual here to get snow and sun, but of course rain and sun is much more common in the UK.

‘Dundee rarely gets snow and the climate is similar to Cambridge, if a degree or so colder on average.’ 

The Met Office had snow and ice warnings in place for parts of Manchester and Yorkshire this morning with up to 5cm of snow was possible on high ground as temperature dropped below zero. 

The cold spell, coming in from the North Sea, will loosen its grip tomorrow although temperatures are set to remain close to 0C in London and at a bone-chilling -4C in Edinburgh.  

The chilly forecast could stall the reopening of Britain’s pub gardens with revellers set to shiver on benches as restrictions limit boozers to outdoor areas. 

However, forecasters are hopeful of a dramatic improvement through the week as temperature are set to soar up to 16C by Thursday in a mini-heatwave that will last through the weekend.

Met Office spokeswoman Nicola Maxey said: ‘By the time we get to Monday, April 12, it’s certainly looking fine, dry and cold in the south.

‘The further north you go, the colder it is and there’s a risk of showery rain for the west side of Scotland and for Cumbria. 

The chilly forecast could stall the reopening of Britain's pub gardens with revellers set to shiver on benches as restrictions limit boozers to outdoor areas. Pictured: Queens Head in Cullercoats, on the North East coast

The chilly forecast could stall the reopening of Britain’s pub gardens with revellers set to shiver on benches as restrictions limit boozers to outdoor areas. Pictured: Queens Head in Cullercoats, on the North East coast

Parts of Greater Manchester and Yorkshire were given snow and ice warnings by the Met Office overnight

Parts of Greater Manchester and Yorkshire were given snow and ice warnings by the Met Office overnight

Britain is being hit with a last blast of wintry weather today - but the skies will clear in time for Britons to enjoy a pint outside when pubs and restaurants reopen tomorrow. Pictured: Runners out today in Whitley Bay on the North East coast

Britain is being hit with a last blast of wintry weather today – but the skies will clear in time for Britons to enjoy a pint outside when pubs and restaurants reopen tomorrow. Pictured: Runners out today in Whitley Bay on the North East coast

The quick blast of snow is hoped to be the last of the winter weather before Britain climbs back into double figures by the middle of the week. Pictured: The A56 at Haslingden Bypass near Manchester earlier today

The quick blast of snow is hoped to be the last of the winter weather before Britain climbs back into double figures by the middle of the week. Pictured: The A56 at Haslingden Bypass near Manchester earlier today

The Met Office tweeted this morning: 'A cold and frosty start for many with sunshine and a few wintry showers'

The Met Office tweeted this morning: ‘A cold and frosty start for many with sunshine and a few wintry showers’

A couple take an early morning walk in a light dusting of overnight snow in front of the former Spanish City concert hall at Whitley Bay on the North East coast

A couple take an early morning walk in a light dusting of overnight snow in front of the former Spanish City concert hall at Whitley Bay on the North East coast

icture postcard scenes as an isolated cottage stands among the snow covered fields in Blanchland, Northumberland, this morning following overnight snow

icture postcard scenes as an isolated cottage stands among the snow covered fields in Blanchland, Northumberland, this morning following overnight snow

Forecasters had warned that rain, sleet and wet snow were likely in northern parts of the country, with snow settling in a band stretching from Manchester to East Yorkshire

Forecasters had warned that rain, sleet and wet snow were likely in northern parts of the country, with snow settling in a band stretching from Manchester to East Yorkshire

Pictured: Daffodils covered in a light dusting of overnight snow at Seaton Sluice on the North East coast

Pictured: Daffodils covered in a light dusting of overnight snow at Seaton Sluice on the North East coast

‘There’s a chance that some of that rain could fall as snow in the high ground in Scotland.

‘There’s also a chance of frost on Monday and Tuesday morning, following cold nights, with most places likely to see temperatures just touching above freezing.’

On Tuesday there will be further showers across Scotland. Elsewhere will be mostly dry with sunny spells across much of England and Wales, however Northern Ireland will be mostly cloudy. 

It will then be mostly cloudy but dry on Wednesday with spells of rain across Scotland and Northern Ireland which may be heavy.

Ahead of the great reopening, several councils across the country, including Westminster and Newcastle, have shut off roads and allocated pavement space to help restaurants and cafes accommodate demand with extra seating.

Beer gardens are expected to be at full capacity, with major pub chains including Fuller’s and Mitchells & Butlers saying they have seen ‘significant interest’ in regulars returning.