Despite reaching a high of 26C this week, the Met Office has warned of a sharp drop in temperatures, with lows potentially hitting below 0C in the coming days.

According to the latest forecast, overnight temperatures on Tuesday could plummet to -5C in the northern regions and -1C in the south. Wednesday is expected to see lows of -3C nationwide.

Daytime temperatures are predicted to peak at 18C on Tuesday before falling to 15C on Wednesday, marking a noticeable cooling trend compared to recent hot weather.

Temperature anomaly maps for Tuesday reveal significant areas of colder temperatures than usual, particularly in Scotland, Northern Ireland, North Wales, northern England, and eastern regions.

The GFS weather model suggests that the highest temperature on Wednesday morning could reach just 8C across the country, indicating a substantial temperature decrease from the previous days.

The Met Office anticipates a cooling trend from Tuesday to Thursday as northerly winds prevail, accompanied by occasional lighter showers compared to the weekend.

The BBC forecast indicates dry conditions with varying cloud cover on Tuesday, except for showers in the southwest and northern parts. Wednesday is expected to be mostly cloudy with isolated showers in the far north and west, while Thursday may bring showers to the north and west, with the east experiencing dry spells but windy conditions.

However, the Met Office offers some hope by predicting a return to average temperatures later in the month. The outlook for May 7 to May 16 suggests changeable weather with intermittent rain or showers alongside drier and brighter intervals.

The forecast also hints at wetter conditions in the south and east initially, shifting northward later in the period. After a chilly start, temperatures are likely to normalize to around average levels by the end of the forecast period.