Residents in Basildon, Essex, should prepare for a significant drop in temperature this week as a cold snap replaces the recent warm spring weather. The Met Office reports that after temperatures reached 20.2C in parts of England on 18 March 2026, a cooler flow of air will move across the country by Wednesday.
In Basildon, daytime highs are expected to fall from 15C at the start of the week to around 8C by Thursday. Wind gusts are forecast to increase to 40mph on Wednesday, which will make overnight temperatures on Thursday feel as cold as -3C.
The shift in weather is due to a change in wind direction that is bringing Arctic air into the UK. This change will bring heavy rain on Tuesday night and the possibility of overnight frost later in the week.
Steve Willington, the Chief Forecaster at the Met Office, stated that this pattern is entirely typical for the time of year. While the drop in temperature may be a shock after the recent sunshine, colder spells and wintry showers are common throughout March.
