Why is it so cold in the UK right now and when is it going to get warmer?

April is a month so infamously miserable that nearly every Briton knows the phrase: ‘March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers.’

But rather than umbrellas, most people this month have been grabbing their winter coats instead as cold spells and rain have swept across the country.

Despite enjoying a few warm spells last week, the past few days have seen temperatures slump to as low as 9°C, with the Met Office even predicting overnight frost – and snow – in some parts of the country.

The Met Office is also forecasting thunderstorms, strong winds and even a chance of the twelfth storm of the season, Storm Lilian, crashing into the country.