Drenched Britons have had hopes of a sunny start to spring snatched and switched for the threat of another month of rain.
Weather models touting the imminent arrival of sunshine have reneged, instead dishing up wind and rain into mid-March.
Despite the mercury rocketing into the mid-teens this weekend, it will swiftly nosedive to plunge the end of February into the freezer.
Temperatures could drop to as low as -5C in parts of Scotland, WXCHARTS has said.
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Chaotic weather patterns juggling high and low pressure across the UK have apologetic meteorologists, once again, dishing out the worst.
The Met Office’s Annie Shuttleworth said: “Although it will turn milder this weekend, we are not out of the woods yet with the risk of frosts.
“Into early March, some minimum temperatures are coming down close to zero, and it looks like it is turning colder at the end of the week with more wet weather on the way.
“More of a westerly, north-westerly wind moves in towards the end of next week, and that would make it more widely wet with the rain lingering around affecting more unusual areas.”
Rain is expected to sweep the UK over the weekend
|WXCHARTS
A blast from the south this weekend will push temperatures in parts to 15C, around 10C higher than this week.
Saturday is likely to be the warmest day of the year so far, although not without the risk of more rain.
Sunday will see the cold nudge back in from the north before Britain reboards the freezing winter rollercoaster.
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Temperatures could hit the mid-teens over the weekend
|WXCHARTS
Ms Shuttleworth said: “It looks relatively unsettled over the next 10 days or so, and that is because we have a mobile set up.
“The mild theme continues into Saturday with milder air moving up from the south, and there will be drizzly outbreaks of rain with the southeast getting away with any drier weather.
“Quite widely, temperatures will be above average and some areas could see 15C to the east of high ground.”
Mercury could dip below freezing next week, WXCHARTS said
|WXCHARTS
For weeks, Britain’s weather has been at the mercy of a powerful jet stream directing battling regions of high and low pressure around the UK.
Persistent rain carried on the conveyor-belt jet and held over the West Country by a blocking Scandinavian high triggered a major flooding incident.
Again, high pressure to the north and south, and low pressure from the west will dictate the weather into March.
Milder temperatures this weekend will give way to chilly northerlies, with the west back in the bathtub.
But mild air moves in from the south this weekend
|WXCHARTS
Jim Dale, meteorologist for British Weather Services and co-author of ‘Surviving Extreme Weather’, said: “Friday into the weekend it is going to turn much milder, and in terms of the temperatures, it may feel quite spring-like at times.
“But you will have to pick your moments, because between the dry spells, there will be the threat of more rain. We are not yet out of the changeable regime.”
A Met Office spokesman added: “This milder theme continues into the weekend, offering a noticeable contrast to the chilly conditions earlier in the week.
“Saturday and Sunday are expected to be markedly milder, though still unsettled, with further spells of rain and brisk winds likely.”