It didn’t feel as cold in the south last week but northern parts took a much more wintry turn, with Atlantic depressions bringing gales, rain and heavy mountain snow.
My brother, neglecting to ask for a forecast, set off to the Isle of Skye. As a result, he experienced the meteorological kitchen sink, from snow to hail to gales.
Away from the northwest, the sunshine was a highlight early in the week and we finally lost that chilly east wind, making it feel more like spring, though there were some cold nights.
By midweek, fronts brought colder, windier conditions in the northwest, with winds of more than 110mph over Cairngorm mountain on Thursday. By Friday a slow-moving low raised the threat of snow in Northern Ireland and northern England but the most significant snow was forecast for Scotland over this weekend. A foot of snow could build up in the Grampians.
To put things into perspective, the severe winter of 1947 was coming to an end about this time. On March 5 that year we experienced one of the most severe snow storms of the 20th century, continuing for 48 hours and culminating in 26ft drifts in the Scottish borders. Parts of the south were struck by an ice storm.
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There are few such concerns this week, as high pressure is expected to move in from Scandinavia. It will remain overcast and perhaps wet at first as the remnants of our low pressure area eases away.
Tuesday and Wednesday will probably be dry, with some places feeling pleasant. However, a stiff easterly wind is likely to affect eastern and northeastern parts, making it feel chilly and keeping skies cloudy. Towards the end of the week there are signs of more unsettled and damp weather spreading to the north and west, with fine conditions persisting in the south and the winds easing.
Isobel Lang is a Sky News forecaster