Milder Sunday brings rain before cold-health alerts return in parts of England

A brief milder spell on Sunday will bring rain across much of the UK, but colder air is forecast to return early next week, when new cold-health alerts come into force in parts of northern England.

The UK Health Security Agency alerts are due to begin at 21:00 GMT on Sunday in the north-east and north-west of England and Yorkshire and the Humber. They are set to remain in place until 09:00 on Thursday.

Temperatures on Sunday morning are expected to be around 2C to 6C in most places, after Saturday’s low of -7.2C at South Newington in Oxfordshire — the lowest of the autumn so far, according to BBC Weather.

Rain is forecast to spread across much of the country during Sunday, with heavy showers possible. Thunderstorms are a possibility in parts of Wales and southern England, while rain and brisk winds could contribute to blocked drains and localised flooding.

The milder conditions are expected to give way as colder northerly air moves in on Monday, bringing a return to frost and fog. Temperatures are forecast to be below average for much of the week, although the south-west of England could briefly reach 12C on Monday. The outlook is for alternating milder and colder spells.