Heavy snow blankets parts of the UK in icy blast before 20C May Bank Holiday

 BRITAIN has today been battered by heavy snow, torrential rain and gales.

But rain-lashed Brits will be treated to a balmy May Bank Holiday weekend with temperatures expected to soar into the 20s.

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Nick and Patrick Matheson from Northumbria who were heading off to go skiing at Cairngorm mountain where fresh snow has fallen this morningCredit: Northpix

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A man clears snow from a car windscreen at the car park in the Cairngorm National park todayCredit: Northpix

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Big waves crashing against Brighton Marina's walls during rain and storm force winds gusting at 70 MPH

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Big waves crashing against Brighton Marina's walls during rain and storm force winds gusting at 70 MPHCredit: Alamy

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A woman shields herself from rain during strong winds in LondonCredit: Reuters

People living in the Cairngorms, Scotland, this morning woke up in a winter wonderland after heavy snow fell overnight.

Residents and visitors dug out their skiing gear to make the most of the unexpected blizzard.

Meanwhile violent gales of up to 85mph and four inches of heavy rainfall have battered the rest of Britain.

Yesterday yellow warnings were slapped across the entire south of the country today with concerns of flash flooding in some parts.

The wild weather caused travel chaos with delays to road, rail, air and ferry transport.

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Gale force winds and stormy seas batter the coastline at Portland Bill in DorsetCredit: ©Graham Hunt

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Wild weather at Newhaven HarbourCredit: EDDIE MITCHELL

Hopes of a bright and sunny weekend have quickly faded as the skies are once again cloudy and grey this morning.

Highs of 14C and lows of 1C are expected in London today.

However by next weekend, things will change for the better.

Temperatures of up to 20C are expected on May 31.

And highs of could hit 21C in Kent and the south by June 1.

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Rheidol River floods over onto nearby roads in Lovesgrove, with motorists having to drive through the water and persistent rainCredit: Alamy

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Charlotte Lamb and Hannah Constable from London enjoy the fierce winds next to Brighton PierCredit: LNP

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Workmen clearing up a large branch from a tree which fell and blocked Alington Road in Dorchester during the strong gusty windsCredit: ©Graham Hunt

London is set to be hit with 22C and 23C temperatures, according to charts from Netweather.

The return of indoor boozing has come at the perfect time as May continues to be wet and windy.

Brits are expected to spend £2.8million a minute as they enjoy The Great Indoors in fully open pubs and restaurants.

On Monday 2.5million pub drinkers knocked back nine million pints, as 11.5million ate at restaurants and cafes, munching six million sandwiches and enjoying five million coffees.

Meanwhile Ladbrokes has slashed their odds on this month going down as the wettest May on record. Having been battered by heavy rain for the last few weeks and with even more on the way, the bookies have cut odds from 1/2 to just 1/3 on this going down as the wettest May ever. 

Elsewhere, odds have already been cut from 6/1 to just 9/2 on this summer being a record-breaking wet one. 

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “It looks as though this summer could well be a washout with record-breaking rain set to fall over the coming weeks and months.”

BBC Breakfast's Matt Taylor walks off set after Mike Bushell takes over the weather report