Unsettled weather likely into the weekend in Aylesbury Vale with possible sleet and snow

The weather has turned significantly colder across the UK and the Aylesbury Vale this week, thanks to Arctic air which pushed southwards behind a cold front on Monday.

Temperatures are currently several degrees below the seasonal average for early March. This may come as a shock to some, especially following what was the joint-fifth mildest February since 1884, according to data from the Met Office.

On Tuesday night, temperatures fell widely below zero across the country, including the Aylesbury Vale, with temperatures falling as low as -10C in parts of central Scotland.

The cold weather coincides with the start of meteorological spring. For statistical purposes, meteorologists group the four seasons into three monthly periods, but winter does not officially come to an end until the spring equinox, which occurs on March 20.

It is not uncommon for low temperatures and snow to occur in March. In fact, on average sleet and snow falls on 3.9 days in December compared with 4.2 days in March. There was notable cold spell during the second half of March 2013 which brought unseasonably low temperatures and significant snowfall to some areas, with the death of thousands of sheep and lambs.

There is increased uncertainty in the forecast for the remainder of this week and into the weekend. But unsettled conditions are most likely, with areas of low pressure moving in from the west, bringing rain and perhaps some sleet and snow at times.

Temperatures are likely to gradually lift above the seasonal norm for southern parts of the UK, but Scotland is likely to see a continuation of below-average temperatures.