People told to leave their taps dripping on Thursday night

A storm is coming to the UK this Thursday, with temperatures dropping to wintry weather for some – and that could mean hail and even snow. The UK is set to see “unseasonably cold” conditions over the next few days, with patchy rural frost developing by Thursday night, forecasters have said.

Overnight temperatures will tumble and Friday is likely to be the coldest morning, the Met Office predicts. Cold Arctic air is arriving over the next few days leading to below average temperatures and a chance of snow on the highest peaks in Scotland.

Met Office spokesman Johnathan Vautrey said temperatures for most of the week will be 4-6C below average. “Many of us will see temperatures in the mid-teens – around 13-14C – whereas normally at this time of year it would be at least 16-18C, if not closer towards 19-20C in the far south east, places like London,” Mr Vautrey said.

But temperatures will feel even colder and “more like single figures” for a lot of places due to strong winds. The forecaster said Thursday into Friday is likely to be the coldest night of the week, as temperatures in rural areas could drop below freezing.

“We could see some patchy frost developing in rural areas across all nations of the UK, particularly Scotland,” Mr Vautrey said. “For people waking up on Friday morning it could be quite a shock to the system as they’re walking out of the door.

“There is a small chance of some snow falling over the highest mountains of Scotland, but you’ll have to hike quite a way before you see any snow.” The Met Office said the cold spell is not expected to last too long and temperatures will start to climb back up towards average by the weekend. Cold weather can lead to issues at home, like burst pipes, according to experts, and that can cause major damage to your floors, ceilings, insulation, and even your home’s foundation.

This damage can be costly, but there is a cheap hack that can minimise the risk of burst pipes according to kitchen designer Rossella Marzocchella of Decor and Decor. Rossella said: “When water freezes it expands, taking up more room in the pipe than its liquid form. When the water freezes it creates a huge amount of pressure which then ruptures the pipe causing a big leak which can cost thousands to fix.

“The majority of your pipes in the home should be insulated to protect against them freezing, but any pipes that aren’t or are in unheated areas of the home such as the garage, loft or basement are most at risk.” Insulating your pipes is one of the best ways to prevent them from freezing and you can purchase pipe insulation online, but if you are worried about your taps and don’t have the time to fit new insulation, dripping them could help.

“When pipes freeze, pressure builds up between the tap and the ice blockage and causes them to burst. Letting your warm and cold taps drip will help this pressure to escape. You don’t have to run the tap like you would when you’re cleaning the dishes or taking a bath, a small trickle will help.

“Anything you can do to keep your pipes warmer is also going to help such as opening up your kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate. Although leaving your tap dripping can add a few pounds to your water bill, it’s a small price to pay compared to potentially tens of thousands in repair costs,” said Rossella.

One of the first signs of having a frozen water pipe is that there is no water coming out of your taps. You may also find that your toilet doesn’t refill after flushing. “If your water flow seems off, check with your neighbours to see if they’re having the same issue. It might be a local problem. If not, frozen pipes could be the reason your system isn’t working properly.

“If you believe your pipes could be frozen you will need to turn off the water supply as a precaution. You will also need to turn off your boiler to prevent it from being damaged. Next, you can either attempt to find the frozen part of the pipe yourself, or call a professional.

“I would advise calling in a professional as you may have more than one frozen pipe in your home,” said Rossella.