Cranbrook (Kent) weather

Headline:

Turning very cold over the next few days.

Today:

Cloudy at first on New Year's Day, with some light rain in the north. This dying out, with sunny spells developing, but the odd light shower possible in the west. Breezy and cold with a significant wind-chill. Maximum temperature 6 °C.

Tonight:

Cloudy thickening with a band of rain spreading south-eastwards, perhaps turning wintry in places, especially later. A slight frost is possible and feeling cold in the fresh westerly wind. Minimum temperature -1 °C.

Friday:

Cloudy with a risk of some light snow at first. The cloud will clear south allowing long sunny spells to develop. Feeling chilly in the breeze, especially across Kent. Maximum temperature 4 °C.

Outlook for Saturday to Monday:

Mostly dry and sunny, but cold throughout with widespread overnight frosts. Some coastal wintry showers are possible. Strong winds will make it feel very cold, before gradually easing from Sunday.

Cold northerly winds dominant across the UK in the first week of January bring wintry showers (often of snow) to many coastlines (and areas just inland of these) that are exposed to onshore winds. Into the new week more coherent bands of precipitation and thicker cloud will attempt to move in from the west, with a risk of further snow on the leading edge of these turning to rain. Confidence is low in the rate of this return to a more mild Atlantic flow, with a risk of further artic airflows following fronts to resume wintry showers, especially across northern areas of the UK. Temperatures recovering to just below average for most, though further north more likely to return cold at times.

Whilst confidence in details is low, by the start of this period the transition back to westerly winds bringing Atlantic weather systems into the UK is expected to be complete, with temperatures most likely recovering to around or just below average. There is perhaps a weak signal for slowly evolving weather patterns to be more favoured than normal, such patterns increase the chances of frost and fog above normal by night.