UK weather for Bonfire Night: Arctic air clears way for fireworks

Cold air is moving in from the Arctic today, bringing falling temperatures as the week goes on but clear skies for many heading to Bonfire Night events.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "While drizzly rain is likely to affect the South East still this evening, most remaining areas should be largely clear and cold with the winds easing - so promising for firework displays."

It will be chilly though, about 9C (48F) in southern areas, 7C (45F) in the North and 6-7C (43-45F) in Scotland.

The North and Wales should have the clearest skies for seeing the fireworks.

The cold air will continue to push south through Wednesday, with daytime temperatures of around 6C (43F) in Scotland, 7-8C (44-46F) in the North and 9C (48F) in the South of England.

Strong winds will intensify the cold feel towards the end of the week, with unsettled weather bringing rain to many places on Thursday and Saturday.

As thousands set to wrap up warm for tonight's bonfire events, researchers have warned that fireworks can cause air pollution levels to temporarily soar to as much as four times normal levels.

After last year's events, levels of fine particulate matter in Newcastle and Gateshead rose from 20 micrograms/m3 during the day to 80 micrograms/m3 just before 11pm.

The recommended safe limit is 10 micrograms/m3, according to the World Health Organisation.

Professor Phil James, from Newcastle University, said: "The air pollution data we collected over 24 hours last Bonfire Night paints a really striking picture of the impact the fireworks and bonfires are having on air quality."

However, the government's department for the environment, Defra, said pollution levels were not expected to remain high for very long tonight, due to stronger winds.

A spokesman said: "Fireworks and bonfire celebrations can sometimes lead to temporarily increased levels of air pollution in localised areas, however we are expecting pollution levels to fall rapidly on Bonfire Night this year as the increased winds should disperse any particles."