Looking further ahead, the Met Office has raised the prospect of a sharp cold snap, warning that disturbance to the polar vortex, a band of fast-moving winds high above the North Pole, could send freezing conditions sweeping across Britain.
Forecasters say indications of this disruption have appeared exceptionally early this year, potentially driven by the current “super” El Niño, which has already shattered sea surface temperature records.
A disturbed polar vortex can trigger sudden stratospheric warming, where temperatures high in the atmosphere surge by up to 50 degrees within days.
Weeks later, this can generate high-pressure blocks that bring prolonged spells of bitterly cold, dry weather to Europe.
