It feels like it's freezing! Winter bites back as easterly blasts in

Don't be fooled by forecasts that show above-freezing temperatures. The figures might show 1C or even higher, but gusty easterly winds mean it will five or six degrees colder.

In Cornwall, strong gusts of up to 50mph in Cornwall will mean that temperatures hovering around freezing point could feel more like minus 10C in some areas.

The chilly winds and overnight frosts will cover all of Britain, while the east will be affected by light snow flurries.

The temperatures are much colder than normal for this time of year, a weather expert said, when we should expect averages of around 6C to 8C.

Billie Payne, a forecaster for MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said on Thursday: “It's certainly going to feel much colder today and over the weekend.

“Temperatures are expected to stay just above freezing point throughout the day, but with the wind chill factor it could feel more like minus 5C, or even minus 10C where the winds are strongest.

“They could hit around 50mph in Cornwall, while the rest of Britain will see gusts of around 30mph and higher in exposed areas.

“These temperatures are very cold for this time of year. We expect cold weather in February but it is impressively cold really.”

On Saturday there is an increasing risk of snow flurries coming in from the east and spreading across the west towards Wales leaving a dusting of snow behind.

It will remain cold on Sunday with more wintry showers before temperatures start to rise on Monday.

PA