UK weather: Arctic shiver sends temperatures tumbling before Britain basks in 'warmest weekend of the year so far'

However, sun-starved Britons hoping for sun will be disappointed, with mild temperatures carried on the tail of wet and windy weather systems.

Meteorological patterns will shift later tomorrow, pulling in mild westerly winds and holding the northerlies at bay.

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: “It is turning milder across the northwest as the next system moves in, and that will topple across the country on Friday.

“Then we will see much milder weather this weekend, with temperatures in some places into the teens.

“That will most likely be the warmest weather so far this year.”

Meanwhile, a "messy" outlook promises more rain, wind, sleet and snow over high ground.

Unusually, southern regions are in the firing line for wintry showers this morning, while Scotland dodges the downpours.

A brief respite will lead into another assault from the west as the next cyclonic low-pressure system arrives, Mr McGivern warned.

He said: “There is a brief gap between weather systems before the next band of unsettled weather moves in, this time from a different direction coming in from the west rather than the southwest.

“It is a classic messy mixture, and this could cause some disruption.”

But hope is on the horizon, with this weekend signalling the return of summer weather patterns and warmth.

Britain's weather through the start of winter has been dominated by low pressure from the west.

These ‘cyclonic’ systems, churning with winds and laden with rain, have stalled over the west coast, unleashing relentless downpours.

The cyclonic theme will eventually give way to an ‘anticyclonic’ weather pattern, as high pressure nudges in from the south.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: “Towards the southwest of the UK, there are signs that we could see high pressure building.

“As we go towards the end of February, there are tentative signs that we could see high pressure building and things start to settle down.”

Temperatures this weekend are poised to rocket into the mid-teens, leaping from minus figures in Scotland to 10C, 14C, or even 15C in the far south.

Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services and co-author of ‘Surviving Extreme Weather’, said: “It is starting to look mild from the weekend and into next week.

“We are expecting a change from the low-pressure-dominated theme through the start of this year to something more settled and milder.

“It will be better towards the east, with western regions still catching the edge of the unsettled patterns.”

Mild weather will at the start, however, carry a price, with westerly winds arriving on the tail of the stormy Atlantic.

A Met Office spokesman said “Milder air comes at a price, with wetter and windier weather becoming more widespread, particularly in western areas.

“Heavy rain and strong south-westerly winds are likely at times, with the south and east enjoying the best shelter from these conditions, at least through the first part of Friday.

“This milder theme continues into the weekend, offering a noticeable contrast to the chilly conditions earlier in the week, and Saturday and Sunday are expected to be markedly milder.”