UK weather: London snow prompts shock in capital with wintry conditions set to continue

Temperatures have dropped by 20 degrees in 24 hours in some parts of the UK

Pedestrians experience a brief snow shower on Westminster Bridge, in central London (Dominic Lipinski / PA)

Londoners were left baffled on Tuesday as the winter weather returned and snow fell unexpectedly across the capital.

By mid-afternoon, parts of the capital had a light dusting of snowfall along with reports of more sleet and snow across the midlands, south-east and South Wales.

The unusually cold weather is said to be a result of “unstable air” coming from the artic, the Met Office explained.

Others commented that the snow was a fitting tribute to the late musician Prince, who died last week and famously wrote the song ‘Sometimes It Snows In April’.

Graham Madge, a Met Office spokesperson said: “Recently we had a high pressure system building out to the west in the Atlantic. The effect of that is cold coming down from the artic regions. As that air comes further south it picks up moisture and falls as wintery showers.

“We have quite unstable air that is moisture-laden.”

Mr Madge said to get snow this late in the year was “unusual but not exceptional”, noting that April is typically a “month of transition” and is notoriously unpredictable.

The average temperature for England in April is around 16 degrees centigrade, but records show that snow has fallen as late as mid-May on low ground in the UK.

Londoners have been warned to expect more snow on Wednesday, after which the Met Office predicts that conditions will start to warm up.

“The freezing level on Tuesday was around 400 metres,” said Mr Madge, “but snowfall is very difficult to predict.”

More traditional wet and mild weather is set to return in time for the bank holiday weekend.

“Expect some heavy rain,” said Mr Madge apologetically.